


the heart of a faraway star

by graceana



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alien!Niall, Alien!Zayn, Astronaut!Harry, Astronaut!Liam, Doctor!Louis, M/M, but more fluff, im horrible at writing smut so theres only a little of that, lots of space talk, theres some fluff and a little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-22
Updated: 2013-08-22
Packaged: 2017-12-24 08:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 39,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/937768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graceana/pseuds/graceana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry’s an Astronaut. Louis’ a Time Lord on his last regeneration. Liam and Zayn have a lot of sex apparently, and Niall just knows a lot about history. </p><p> </p><p>  <em>“That’s the thing though; Louis smiles at Harry like he’s the first star he’s ever seen (maybe Harry stares back that way too, just maybe)  but then his smile breaks into a frown like he’s realised Harry is unattainable but in reality he’s there, an arm’s length away.”</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	the heart of a faraway star

**Author's Note:**

> !!PLEASE READ!!
> 
> Okay so this fic is my baby and I am so proud of it and how it turned out and I am never usually this happy about things I write but I think because I love Doctor Who and One Direction so much it was just really enjoyable to write (not that my other stuff isn't). This has been in the works since about May and I'm so happy that I'm finally posting it. At first i wasn't planning on having it being a complete crack fic of 1D/DW but then i figured it would be slightly easier and more fun to write that way. Also you DO NOT need to watch or know much about Doctor Who to read this I explain everything that's important, the only things you might not appreciate as much as someone who does watch it and know it is the references I throw in there. Everything that I didn't spin-off from Doctor Who is completely made up by my overactive imagination and love for space. There are a few things I'm gonna write below of words I made up though like how I pronounce them and things but anyways I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this. If there are any mistakes I apologise I did edit this but might have missed a few. This is my baby and I'm quite sad I'm finished with it I almost cried when I wrote the ending. I'd like to thank the wonderful Bri for being my cheerleader since the beginning. Without further or do enjoy! .x (Also the title is a speech the Doctor gave in Rings of Akhaten) 
> 
> Words:
> 
> Novian - Novi comes from the Latin word for predict; (No-v-in)  
> Dolortorian - Dolor comes from the Latin word for smart; (Doll-la-tour-e-in)  
> Pomple - Totally made up from the top of my head; Planet; (Pom-pull)  
> Sectaro - Secta comes from the Latin word for part; Planet; (Sec-tar-o)  
> Hydruiam - Hydrus comes from the Latin word for Serpent; (Hi-drew-um)
> 
> **note made in 2016: in an ideal world i finally get off my ass and finish re-editing this which i started a year ago lmao**

**part i**

_It’s 2692._

_Space exploration and traveling are at its prime._

_Humans and Aliens live among each other have now for almost 200 years, but there’s still more out there, more to see and explore. The Human race is forever growing and expanding and while there are people living on Mars it won’t ever be enough._

_So that’s where the astronauts come in. They travel to the planets that astronomers and scientists think can either already have life, could sustain it, or maybe even had it once before and is now barren, just like Mars was._

_The next planet to be explored is LWT-21 and that’s where this story begins._

***

He wakes up to this constant thudding noise coming from his left, any other time it would be soothing almost like a lullaby to loll him back to sleep but whatever is hitting the wall is making a creaking sound too and is anything but soft and peaceful.

Slowly, he blinks open his eyes. He’s met with the black of the night sky and the shining diamond points twinkling down at him (he’s glad he called dibs on the room with the glass ceiling before Liam could just so he could lie down at night and watch the stars and moon from his bed.) The thudding noise gets louder and faster the more he blinks away the sleep.

He sits up and throws the covers off of him, he pads out of his room and over to Liam’s. He’s not sure why he forgets that Zayn was staying the night, maybe because usually when he does he’ll spend the night at Niall’s so he doesn’t have to deal with this but now Harry just opens the door and closes it not even a second later. Let’s just say he didn’t think Zayn could bend that way.

Whether he likes it or not, he’s up now because even if he tried to go back to sleep he would have nightmares.

He curses himself, while walking to the kitchen to make tea, for not thinking through what the noise most likely was but it’s nearly 3 a.m and he’s stressed so his brain isn’t functioning as well as it should be at the moment.

See, Harry’s an astronaut. He’s a Class-GY astronaut, along with Liam and Zayn, basically that means they are fully trained and ready but have not gone on an actual exploration mission yet. That could change soon though, because Niall’s told them that there’s this new planet, one they’ve known about for almost 7 months now, that could be another candidate the Human Race and other Aliens can spread to. See Niall’s the astronomer one of them, spends hours looking out of the telescopes and observing planets that are possible for life. Before they can go shipping space loads of people there though; they send the astronauts who take the standard tests, bring back samples and so on and so forth to see if life is even able to exist on said planet.

As far as right now, the Human Race along with the 28 other Alien species they live peacefully among, are strewn between 20 Solar Systems and 34 planets. Within this solar system the only habitable planets are Earth, obviously, and Mars.

Mars has only been lived on for about 400 years now. The Human race is always growing and expanding and Earth can only hold so many people before they start to destroy the lovely planet and it’s one of a kind animal species with some of its seas so clear that you could see straight down to the seafloor when you’re floating along the top. So, they moved to Mars. They built domes that protected them from the UV rays and radiation, they built gardens and their own atmosphere in the domes and now it even has its own mailing address.

(The other 32 planets are far off and you need to take a wormhole to get to them and they have a low number of the human population on them because other Alien species already live there so the astronauts main job at the moment is to find a planet that humans can start fresh on without any other species.)

Harry sighs, a gust of air that blows the sugar from the jar while he scoops it into his tea. He loves his job so much and he loves the history of how his job came to be and how them, _humans,_ came to be these intelligent creatures that derived from apes. He thinks the history of them will be long and until the end of time and maybe even the end of the universe if they survive that long to see it.

“Mate?” He hears Liam’s hoarse voice from behind him, walking over and making his own cup, because they can careless if they have robots for that. Nothing is better than a homemade cup of tea.

He turns towards him, one hip resting against the counter and sips the warm liquid that warms him from the inside out,” Hey, sorry, I sort of of, ya know.” He stutters.

“It’s alright.” Liam blushes, “Couldn’t sleep?” he asks. Liam could always read him like the back of his hand, sometimes better than he can read himself.  

“Well I was doing fine until you became a human jack-hammer.” Harry teases.

Liam turns a deeper shade of red but sips at his too hot tea and ends up cursing with his tongue hanging out of mouth because he’s burnt himself.

Harry rolls his eyes, shaking his head,” After that I wouldn’t have been able to go back to sleep if I tried.” He takes a sip of his tea before tacking on a shaky,” I just, I can’t stop thinking about who they’re gonna pick for the mission.”

Since space travel and exploration is such a big thing in this time almost every astronaut wants to be picked to go to a new planet and see if it’s human attainable but you have to register and then the head of that planetary project picks who they think would be the best candidates. Him, Liam, and Zayn are still virgins to going to a new planet that no human, or half-human half-alien in Zayn’s case, has gone to yet so they’re all anxious to know who’s been picked.

“I knew Niall shouldn’t have told you about this. He isn’t supposed to tell us anyways.” Liam says it as if Niall’s in the room and he should be scolded but there’s a shred of hope in his voice.

“Come on, Li. I know you want this as much as I do. You and Zayn.” He says in a matter-of-fact voice.

“We do. I just don’t want you, _us,_ to get our hopes up for nothing.” He looks saddened just letting the words slip through his lips.

Zayn comes out then, half naked, tired and still as gorgeous as ever,” Whatcha guys talkin’ about?” He asks with a sleepy voice.

“Getting picked for the new planet expedition.” Liam says.

“Guys, I’m telling you don’t worry. Okay listen us and only two other groups signed up for that expedition and with my calculations, we have more experience in the field and knowledge than them and we also have Niall’s good word so I think we’ll be okay.” He beams all happy like he’s just cracked the Da Vinci Code.

“Well of course we have more knowledge than them Zayn, you’re fucking half Dolortorian.” Harry throws an arm up for dramatic effect. Dolortorians are the most knowledgeable and fastest learning species that Human’s have come in contact with to date.

Zayn looks smug because he knows it’s true but Harry’s still worried and Liam looks like he’s zoning out and thinking dirty things about Zayn and Harry cannot handle this right now.

“Alight, you two can have the flat to yourselves for the rest of the night I’m going out.”  He puts his mug in the sink, goes back to his bedroom to get dressed: sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a beanie.

When he walks out he shouts,” Don’t fuck in my room or I’ll burn your bed again!”

+

When Harry’s stressed, worried or just simply bored he goes to the highest hill that’s 30 miles out of London, lies on his back and looks up at the sky. Whether it’s day or night that’s where he goes, although he does prefer going there at night.

He lies there and stares up at the infinite darkness that’s lit up with billions upon billions of stars and galaxies. He tries to count them sometimes, he always has. Ever since he was little Harry’s tried to count the stars and when he would lose count he would whine to his Mum. She would tell him that there’s _simply too many to count love, don’t get upset_ and then pick him up with his blanket that had the moon on it and bring him up to bed.

His favorite thing to do when he looks up to the sky is to imagine everything and how vast it truly is. He thinks about how many other galaxies have gone undiscovered, how many planets we still haven’t found, how many places we won’t be able to go just because there probably won’t be enough time or we simple won’t be able to reach them. The most mind boggling thing he thinks about though is how many other _people_ are out there.

He knows from stories told by the aliens (which frankly he just calls them people because who cares if they’re not native to earth, someday there probably won’t even be a full blooded human left) about how many other species they’ve met and where they are in this galaxy or the next galaxy over. It’s intoxicating.

Before he starts to fall back to sleep with the sounds of the crickets and the last plane taking off as his lullaby he names the constellations and counts the stars, wishing on every one that one day, whether it be this mission or not, he’ll get to see as much of it as he can.

+

Everyone at work is pretty buzzed about LWT-21, the planet that whoever is picked will go to. Then again, they’re ‘work’ is a bunch of 19 to 28 year olds (in this division, at least) so someone could see a 4 legged-squirrel and they’re would be an division meeting about it. Another thing about their work is that they don’t really do anything. The astronauts have training they go through for weapons (if they’re needed when on an expedition) and anti-gravity things and all sorts of things to prepare you for space travel but other than that it’s just a bunch of people looking through telescopes or doing whatever to keep them entertained, plus they get paid so it’s easy money.

“Aye, Styles!” He hears a familiar voice call his name.

He turns around with a grin already etched onto his face,” Horan.” He says and then they do this stupid hand shake that they made up when him and Liam met Zayn and Niall at the Space Academy when he was 16.

“Have you seen Zayn? Some three-eyed girl was looking for him earlier. I think Josh told her that Zayn was into that kind of thing.” He says it with a straight face at first but then he and Harry are laughing loud and obnoxious about it.

“Oh my god.” Harry wipes at his eyes flicking away imaginary tears because it was that funny,” I haven’t seen him yet, I think he’s in Planetary Herb-Studies today or something.” It’s mandatory for all astronauts and even the astronomers, really anyone in the Space Expedition Program, to take certain classes every 2 to 3 months just to keep them up to date on the new discoveries made, or learn more about already known things that Aliens have brought from their home planets.

“Right. Liam told me you had a little accident the other night.” His eyes are wide because they’ve both been there, have both walked in on Liam and Zayn, especially when they first started dating. Those idiots tried hiding it, which failed in the end because it was as obvious as a full moon in a clear night’s sky.

He rolls his eyes, “I forgot Zayn was even over. I just walked in; Liam is like a fucking jack-hammer.” He shakes head trying to get the image out.

Niall holds up his hand,” TMI, Harry.” He actually says ‘tmi’ and it’s not even a surprise because back at the Academy Niall took about 4 classes on the ‘old language’ which is just how they spoke in the beginning of the millennium. He’s been using it ever since, so much that it has actually started to rub off on Harry himself along with whoever is friends with Niall (so basically the whole division).

They’re silent for a moment before they both start heading off to see Liam in the Astro-Suit department. Harry doesn’t want to ask but he has to know because it’s been eating away at him since the minute Niall told him. He clears his throat and is about to ask but Niall cuts him off.

“Harry, I haven’t heard about who they’re picking yet, but I promise you I put in a good word for you and the boys. You know I want you guys to go just as much as you guys want to. Plus if you guys go then I’m gonna be head observer and astronomer for the mission so I want it too.”

“Way to just take the words out of my mouth.” Harry flicks his curls and licks his lips, a nervous tick he’s had since his hair got long enough for him to shake it out.

Niall claps his shoulder when they stop outside of the door, looks him straight in the eyes, no more joking curve on his lips,” I think this is the one though, Harry. If I’m honest I can feel it.”

Harry nods. He agrees with Niall but then again he’s hopeful like this for every mission (which is three including this one) they’ve ever registered for, so he’s trying not to dwell on it. The key word being: _trying._

He really shouldn’t worry though especially if Niall can almost feel it because he’s half Novian, a species of Alien who can almost predict anything but you have to practice it to be good at it, and Niall hasn’t practiced it much because he likes surprises but sometimes it’ll involuntarily kick in. But he still has that twisting feeling in his gut.

Niall nods, slides his ID card through the scanner next to the door and it slides open. They slip in and wait for Liam to finish his conversation with Dr. Tennant, something about customizing the colors of the suits for whoever gets picked for the voyage. Dr. Tennant shakes his head and tells Liam in his Scottish accent that he could probably work something out.

After Dr. Tennant steps out of the room Liam walks over to them with a nod and a smile,” So I think I can make him alter the colors of the suits if we get this, because I am not wearing green suits. We’ll look like that frog puppet thing from the 1990’s. What’s it called Niall?”

“Kermit. Kermit the Frog.” Niall loves his history and bringing it to present time if you didn’t realise.

“Yea him. I don’t want to look like Kermit the Frog. So I talked to him and he said he could probably do orange or blue.” Liam is genuinely really happy about getting the color of the suits changed and they haven’t even found out if they’ve got the mission yet.

Harry gives him points for enthusiasm.

“I don’t get a suit.” Niall sighs, a pout on his lips and head hung low.

“It’s okay Niall you can put mine on from training back in the Academy and go in the Moon-Room.” (The Moon-Room is just a dumbed down and easier way of saying Anti-Gravity room). Liam says in a sympathetic voice and pats his shoulder.

He does seem to brighten up at that lifting his head with a smile and thankful eyes,” Thanks Li.”

“Well, do you reckon we go get Zayn and then head off to lunch? I’m starved.” Harry suggests.

The other two nod. They walk out and down the hall to see Zayn already heading for them. Him and Liam share a chaste kiss before he turns saying his ‘Hello’ to Harry and Niall.

They walk down to the cafeteria, Niall and Harry talking about some new interactive constellation model the people in programming are working on, Liam and Zayn plastered to each other’s sides;  Zayn’s arm wrapped around Liam’s waist while Liam’s arm is draped over his shoulder. They’re talking in hushed tones except for the occasional giggle Liam will let slip.

Harry looks over to them fondly. He’s so happy for them, he really is. He remembers it like it was yesterday. Him and Liam were finally accepted and inducted into the Space Academy in London when they were 16 years old. (Liam was just about 17, but he waited a year for Harry so they could both apply and hopefully, at the time, get accepted at the same time.)

The Space Academy is where you go when you want to get into some field that has to do with, well, space. Everyone takes the basic classes about our own solar system, the formation of stars, how wormholes work, spacecraft engineering etc. But then you pick whether you want to be an astronaut, an astronomer, a programmer, engineer and so on.

Him and Liam both went in the Astronaut filed, obviously, and when you first arrive you’re a first year so a second or third year is assigned to you to show you around and to serve as a mentor. The head administrator of your field would assign you and your roommate one and there’s just so happened to be Zayn.

When he first walked up and introduced himself all Harry remembers is the look that Liam had on his face, it was like he questioned his whole life’s existence when he saw Zayn’s dark eyes and matching quiff. If Harry believed in love at first sight he would stamp it on Zayn and Liam’s couple résumé.

Fast forward a few months and they meet Niall. The astronauts had to pair up with an older year Astronaut (so of course they chose Zayn because the three of them became rather good friends) and then someone who was going into the actual astronomy field, which just so happened to be Niall. He just sort of walked over to their table where they were sitting, sat down, and introduced himself.

After that they all sort of just orbited around each other like the planets around the sun but then Liam started to orbit Zayn like the moon does the Earth. They ended up dancing around each other for about a year and a half, two years. Then one day Harry had walked into his and Liam’s shared room and Zayn was on top of Liam and he was making noises Harry really didn’t want to ever hear his bestfriend make.

And as they say the rest was history.

 “Harry.” He snaps out of his flashback when Zayn starts snapping his fingers in front of his face.

“Sorry, sorta zoned out there.” He shakes his head and blinks a few times.

“Well no shit you did. You’ve been staring into thin air for like 3 minutes.”  Zayn points out,” Anyways, you comin’ out with us tonight?”

He thinks it over, checks his mental calendar sees that it’s blank because he has no other friends, which should be concerning but he doesn’t dwell on it. He sighs, he leads a relatively boring life for someone whose job for a living is to go out into space and explore new planets. He makes a mental note to call his Mum and Sister tomorrow instead of tonight and nods in agreement.

+

They’ve been in their usual club for almost 3 hours now and Harry hasn’t had _one_ drink sent his way when he usually ends up spending zero money on actually drinking. It’s sad he’s 21, has been told countless times he’s charming and good looking, _and_ he’s an astronaut which makes him pretty well respected among the people yet somehow he’s standing against the bar playing a game on his phone instead of talking to any attractive people.

It’s rather frustrating.

He brings his fruity fluorescent purple drink up to his mouth and takes a sip. Let’s the sweetness seep into his taste buds as the burn of the alcohol slides down his throat. Before he sets down his drink and pockets his phone there’s an arm slung over his shoulder. He looks to see Niall’s goofy smile and flushed cheeks staring back at him he’s plastered.

He starts jabbering on about something or some person into the crook of Harry’s neck. He smells like beer and Hitro-Tonic, (this drink one of the Aliens taught them how to make that’s from their home planet) it’s an odd mix, something bitter with something sweet but gets you drunk fast.

“I can’t even understand you.” Harry laughs, alcohol buzzing through his veins. His frustration of not being ‘eye-candy’ is washed away when Niall lifts his head up and asks with round child like eyes,” Can we go to McDonalds?” He juts his bottom lip out and pouts.

Harry shakes his head, rolls his eyes, no annoyance just fond shining through,” Of course. Let’s just find Liam and Zayn.”

Niall loves food, never knocks anything down until he’s tried it at least once, so he has a broad taste range but whenever he’s drunk all he wants is McDonald’s.

They walk through the packed, stuffy club to try and find the infamous couple who have already snuck off to the bathroom once this evening (and once before they left too). They find them in the corner near the entrance; Zayn has Liam against a wall and is sucking on his neck like a leech. It’s disgusting in a cute sort of way.

When Liam looks over he spots Harry and Niall with arms wrapped around each other, Niall’s around Harry’s waist and Harry’s around Niall’s shoulder, it’s like he just knows it’s _that_ time. He pulls Zayn off of his neck and kisses him on the mouth for good measure before linking their hands together and walking over to them.

Wordlessly, they all head out and fetch a cab telling the driver to head to McDonald’s. This has been their post-going-out tradition for almost a year now. Ever since Niall got so smashed that he forgot his own name and started to go on about a man dressed in a bat costume saving people’s lives, basically when he saw the glowing ‘M’ in the sky he said it was this bat signal apparently.  To this day they still don’t really know what he was talking about. They have an inkling though because of an old magazine looking thing they found at Niall’s one time but other than that they’re clueless.

They pay the cab driver when they pull up in front of the yellow arches. Niall is still hanging off of Harry when they walk in, mumbling how he wants one of everything on the menu. All three of them are sure to tell him ‘no’ the minute he says it, last time they let him do that he ended up puking all over Harry and Liam’s carpet.

Ordering is like riding a bike, as that old saying goes, they’ve all ordered the same thing every time for who knows how many visits that it’s almost second nature.

After they’ve paid and their food is given to them they head over to their regular table in the back corner. They eat in silence. Greasy food is always a good half-cure when you’re drunk or trying to sober up or have a hangover so this works magic.

Harry likes that they have this tradition. It’s nice to go from packed clubs with strangers to a table in a fast food joint with your closest friends, shows how no matter how many people are out there that you will always have your closest friends by your side in the end, telling stories and jokes, no matter where you are or how smashed you could or could not be.

Harry’s taking a bite of his snackwrap when Liam’s phone starts to ring which is odd because it’s almost 4 a.m and the only people that would be calling him at this time would be the people sitting at this table. Liam furrows his brow as he checks his phone. His mouth opens and closes a few times like a fish before he drops his phone on the table, where it almost lands in the honey mustard.

“What is it?” Zayn is hurried to ask, concern etched into his face, eyes wide and worried.

“I just got an email from Dr. Tennant.” He gulps, Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

Harry’s not sure why they would be getting an email from him this late, or early however you want to look at it, but doesn’t think too much about it just let’s whatever is happening run its course.

“Well?” Niall prompts. He has about 13 french fries shoved in his mouth and he’s still half-drunk but this, this sobers them all up.

“He said that we should go see him Monday when we go into work.”

They all share glances, knows what this could mean and what it could _not_ mean.  Everyone, except Niall, stops eating; their stomachs are in knots with nerves and a maybe just a little excitement. If this is it, if they’ve finally picked who they want on this mission then that could be what Dr. Tennant is telling them but then again he could also be telling them that their staying here. Really, it could go either way.

“You guys gonna eat that?” Niall points to the fries, half eaten burgers and snackwraps in the middle of the table.

“No and neither are you or you‘ll puke.” Harry picks up the tray, leaves his fries for Niall as a peace offering and proceeds to chuck it in the trash.

When he sits back down they all look to each other with hopeful eyes and worried smiles because who knew that they would be sitting in McDonald’s drunk when the email that decides their future as astronauts came through.

Now all they can do is wait for Monday to come.

+

Monday morning when they all meet up in front of Dr. Tennant’s office they stand there for what feels like hours when in reality it’s about 10 minutes before the door is opening and Dr. Tennant is beckoning them inside.

Dr. Tennant is a tall, lean man with light scruff lining his face and thick sideburns. He’s in his late 30’s but his chocolate eyes seem as if they’ve seen so much more past his years. His hair is a sandy brown color that’s floppy but not in a lazy sort of way more of a causal ‘this is how my hair happens to fall’ kind of way. He always wears a suit, but not a classic suit. Like today, for example, he has on a matte brown suit that has faded strips running up and down the jacket and pants. His shirt is a medium blue color with a brown tie that has a strange pattern on it that is also blue.

And he’s Scottish so that makes everything better.

They all sit down in royal blue cushioned chairs, nerves eating at them from the inside out.

Harry has flicked his hair about 40 times since they’ve been in the room, Zayn’s biting his lip raw, Liam keeps biting at his nails and even though Niall is just sitting there they all know he’s freaking out just as much as they are.

“Boys,” Dr. Tennant starts. His accent is thick around his words when he talks,” As you know you were one of the teams that registered for the LWT-21 Planet Expedition.” They all nod like they didn’t know but of course they did, it’s all any of them could think about for weeks.

“Well, as head adviser in this division I would like to inform you that you will _not_ ,” All of their hearts stop and faces fall,” be staying here.” He finishes.

Confused looks are shot around the room; eyebrows are raised and disappearing under fringes,  small questioning smiles pulling at their lips.

“Does this mean..?” Zayn starts to say but then Dr. Tennant is jumping out of his chair with his arms above his head and shouting,” You got it! You’re going!”

They all jump out of their chairs and into one other. They hug and shout until Dr. Tennant is shushing them but he’s laughing all proud because whether he says it or not they all know they’re his favorite team throughout the division.

Harry can’t believe it if he’s being honest. He’s dreamed about space and traveling through it since he was 6 years old and asked his Mum about the big ball in the sky while he sipped his Apple Juice and she told him that it’s the Sun and how it makes it capable of them to live. Then she told him how he could be an Astronaut and help find other Suns and other Earths through space. Ever since that day it’s all he’s ever wanted and now he’s got it.

“Okay, boys.” Dr. Tennant holds up his hands to get them to try and calm down. They reluctantly sit with grins so wide and bright on their faces that you could see them all the way from Mars.

“Now, we have you planned to leave in two weeks.” They start to chatter with each other again, about how excited they are again which leads to Dr. Tennant taking out this stupid pen looking thing pointing it at them which in the end makes them shut up. Don’t ask how he does it, it just happens.

“Okay.” He says one final time before continuing,” Before you leave you three,” He points to Harry, Liam and Zayn,” Have to go for training for a real expedition. It doesn’t take long only 4 days. After that you,” He turns towards Niall,” will also have to take the basic training just in case, even though you’ll be stationed here on Earth. It’s precaution. You will also have to take your own training for in the moment problem solving and things incase anything goes wrong while they’re there.” He looks between the four of them.

“Do you all understand?” They nod,” Okay, any questions?” He asks them.

Liam speaks up then,” Does this mean we get to change the color of the suits?”

They all burst out laughing because of course Liam would be concerned about the suits when they’ve just been told their going to another planet.

“Yes, Liam we can change the color of the suits.” Dr. Tennant says in a wry tone.

Liam fist pumps into the air, like that one classic movie Niall made them all watch once.

Harry thinks that one gesture perfectly describes how they’re all feeling.

+

The whole preparing process for the mission is really easy and stuff they did they’re second year at the Space Academy so it’s basically just review in most ways, even though it’s already imprinted into their brains forever.

There’s some new things they learn, like how to work some new gadgets that just got passed as ready to use on missions, how to carefully extract plant samples, rock samples, etc. They learn how to work the few weapons they carry because even though the first time an Alien species landed on Earth and the Human Race were pretty hostile to them they learned quickly that they’re just as curios and afraid of us as we are them. Now the only reason they carry them is in case someone actually does try to threaten them.

Harry’s so excited that he’s _finally_ going on a mission that he barely sleeps for the two weeks they prepare. He doesn’t think any of them do really. They all have blue-purple bruises under their eyes but it’s masked by the utter excitement that radiates off of them when they walk in and out of work each day.

After their first week of preparing they all go out again but this time when they get to the club they end up leaving not even an hour later just because it doesn’t feel like the right celebratory thing to do. So instead they end up at the bowling alley where Liam and Harry end up beating Niall and Zayn by a landslide.

Only because it’s a tradition they end up at the same McDonald’s they always go to. This time when they order they’re sober, might actually be the first time that they are. They eat with loud laughs and memories about Space Camp that Liam and Harry went to from the age of 10 all the way up until they got into the Space Academy. How the first time Liam went in the Moon-Room he nearly barfed because of all the spinning.

It’s odd how the night turns into this reminiscent thing. How they all recount stories with each other, and tell ones that maybe one of them didn’t hear before or missed out on. It’s emotional, sentimental and every bit sappy. Harry doesn’t care one bit though, give him his boys this stupid corner table in this greasy, alcohol and urine smelling McDonald’s and he’ll be content for a while, maybe even his whole life.

Instead of them all going back to their respected flats they all end up at Niall’s, mostly because his is closer but also because this is one of those times in life when all you want is to be by your best mates and live every moment you can with them.

No one says anything just silently pulls out the bed that’s tucked under the sofa because Niall has one of those kinds of couches. The mattress isn’t that big, it’s only supposed to fit two people, maybe three at the most but they all climb into it with their limbs tangled together.

“Boys, I think this is gonna be life changing.” Niall breaths.

They all make sounds of agreement because even though Niall’s Novian they can all feel it deep in their bones. Even Harry who has no perception of what the weather is going to be tomorrow can feel this itch under skin that’s just saying this is going to be _it,_ the thing that changes his life, their lives; maybe even change them forever.  

He thinks, before falling asleep, that maybe wishing on all those stars finally paid off.

**part ii.**

+

Harry’s nervous; no he’s more than nervous.

Right now he and Liam are on their way to pick up Zayn and Niall from Niall’s flat because today is The Day. Today, they’re going to be taking off and traveling to LWT-21.

His stomach feels like it’s been twisted like a swing a child has spun around until they can’t anymore so  when they stop and let go they spin and spin the opposite way until they feel sick and dizzy. It’s thrilling and nauseating at the same time.

“Mate you alright? You look like you’re about to puke.” Liam glances to him from the driver’s seat.

“Just nervous is all.” He says, and shakes his hair out and sweeps it to one side.

“We all are. Don’t worry we’ve all been to Mars before so that’s at least something.”  Liam points out like he doesn’t know that. They all only went when they finished the Space Academy for holiday, it was rather crazy if you ask him.

“I know it’s just.” He stops because he feels stupid for even admitting it.

“What?” Liam prompts as they turn down Niall’s street.

“The wormhole.” He mutters, looking down into his lap.

He can see Liam shaking his head from his peripheral vision,” It’ll be alright Harry. We’ve had training for that. Don’t worry about it.”

“I know we have. It’s just. Like. We’re _actually_ going to be in one and traveling through it and ending up somewhere light-years away and I just. I never thought we would be. Plus you of all people know training is nothing compared to the real thing.” He’s blushing in embarrassment. 

They pull up and two more bodies slide into the backseat before Liam can answer him.

“Jeese Harry you look green.” Niall comments as he straps himself in.

 “He’s a little nervous about the wormhole.” Liam tells them while making the biggest heart eyes towards Zayn in the rearview mirror.

Harry rolls his eyes, fucking saps.

“Listen Harry, don’t even worry about it. Me and Zayn are both part alien so if anything goes wrong we’ll fix it, me from Earth and Zayn from with you guys, and I’ve been practicing and don’t see anything bad happening.” Niall informs him.

That does ease him a little on the whole matter.

“Okay.” He breaths and it’s almost like all his doubts are gone.

_Almost._

+

“Boys, boys, boys!” Dr. Tennant shouts when he sees them walking in.

“Good Afternoon.”  They all chime.

“How you guys feelin’ about The Big Day?” His eyes are big like he’s had too much caffeine and if it’s possible his grin is even bigger. He has more facial hair today; Harry likes to imagine that he’s been up for the past two days with nerves and excitement like he and the rest of the boys have.

“Great, great.” Liam nods.

“Well,” Zayn starts side eyeing Harry,” Harry here is a little nervous.” Zayn rubs at his shoulders, definitely in a mock-comforting way.

“Aww, Styles, what’s on your mind.” Dr. Tennant crosses his arms over his chest with curious eyes.

“Wel-.” He tries but Niall cuts in.

“He’s worried about the wormhole.” Since Niall is the brains of them (besides Zayn of course) he tries not to roll his eyes because he knows how they work, has studied wormholes for who knows how long, knows the wormhole that’s nearest them won’t defect.

“Ohhhh. That.” His accent seems thicker today, especially as he waves off Harry’s concern,” I’ve been in and out of wormholes countless times, don’t worry about it. After awhile it sort of gets boring.” He seems disappointed like a child who rode the same ride at a park too many times taking the fun away.  

Harry shrugs shoving his hands in his pockets and looks down feeling like a complete wimp.

There’s a beat of silence where he knows they all must be looking at him but then it’s gone after he looks up and Dr. Tennant claps then rubs his hands together like those people do after they’ve completed their plans and are about to enact them.

“Alright, then let’s get you lot set up and checked in so you can head out and be on your way!” He sticks his arm above his head with that stupid pen looking thing buzzing and starts to march off towards the Suit Room.

 

Turns out that Dr. Tennant did change the color of the suits from Kermit green to carrot orange with royal blue trim.

Liam is out of his mind excited and actually goes to put it on before Niall stops him with a pointed look and says,” Li, you know you can’t put that on until after you’ve gone throw all the procedures.”

His face falls. The stupid procedures are just that, stupid. They have to go through all these medical things that take an hour and then shots which they’ve already been getting the past two weeks and it’s just annoying.

After that’s all finished though Harry, Zayn and Liam suit up and wait for their cue to head towards their ship. Niall has a crestfallen look on his face when they turn to him.

“Aye, Horan what’s wrong?” Zayn half shouts.

“I really want a suit.” He mumbles.

“What? You thought we forgot about the Earth Man?” Dr. Tennant questions amused.

“Well that’s exactly why I don’t get a suit because I stay here.” He tells him.

“Yea, but since you guys are probably the best team and,” He looks around to see if anyone is near, and stage whispers,” are my favorite in the division, I had one made for you too.” Then Dr. Tennant hands the suit over. It’s not exactly the same, doesn’t have the oxygen port or heating or cooling system that theirs have but other than that and a few other spacey things that Niall doesn’t need it’s identical.

Niall’s face lights up like the sun on the horizon as he slips into it,” Wow, thanks.” He beams.

Dr. Tennant’s pen thing starts buzzing and when he looks at it he nods at them and they start walking towards take off. Niall turns off about half way into the room where he’ll be monitoring them from Earth.

When they get to the take off room Dr. Tennant stops, turns to them and looks at each one of them nodding with one of the proudest smiles Harry has ever seen him give on his face.

“I’m afraid this is where I let you boys go on your own.”

They nod to him, shake his hand and head off down the steps into the golf cart and outside to their spaceship.

Their spaceship is long and thin. It’s silver metal with a single blue ring around the front tip. The inside is large but small all the same. The front-deck has four seats, two in the front and two in the back. They secure their helmets, look to each other and Liam starts her up.

Niall comes over the loud speaker that’s inside each of their helmets along with the intercom in the pit of the craft. He also appears on the mini-screen that’s on the dashboard. The screen shows Niall from the monitoring room and goes the other way around so Niall can also see them.

“Ready lads?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Zayn says from next to Liam.

Harry gulps, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath,” Ready.”

“Alright Li you know the drill.” Niall says.

Liam hits the button, pulls the lever and starts the take off process. Serendipity, which they and Dr. Tennant named the ship, starts to rumble and shake lifting off of the ground. Liam flies them up, up, up and out of the atmosphere.

It takes them about 30 minutes to reach the wormhole and before they enter they page Niall to tell him.

“Okay, good luck lads. Stay in touch.” He tells them with a happy voice.

Liam turns around to look at Harry, nods, then to Zayn and nods again. Then he pushes forward and heads inside the wormhole and off to LWT-21.

+

“How much longer?” Harry groans from the backseat, like a child on a roadtrip.

He feels like they’ve been sitting on auto-pilot for like 4 days, his arse hurts from sitting, his hair feels like its suction cupping itself to his face like octopus tentacles and he really just wants to get to this planet and out of this space ship.

The original nerves of going through the wormhole were wiped away once they entered it and automatically went on auto-pilot.

“Like 2 hours Haz, calm down.” Zayn looks back at him, and yea Zayn would definitely be the mum in this road trip situation.

“Take a nap or something.” Liam tells him.

See they’re lucky they got the front seats so they can see everything but Harry is stuck in the back and although there is a small circular window to his right and he can see partially out of the big front window it’s not the same. He wants to _see_ the stars they’re passing and the faint galaxies that he knows he can name off of the top of his head.

He wants to see the colors that dot throughout the vast blackness that makes up space. He wants to see the random asteroids floating by, maybe a few dwarf planets here and there. He wants to look into the past as it looks back at him. He wants to know what those people are thinking right at this moment, if they’re world is shattering apart or building itself up.  

Leaning over he peers out the little window that’s next to his seat just so he can see something, anything and he does. He sees the stars, an odd galaxy off in the distance. His eyes shine like the stars he’s looking at and his smile widens.

The stars are nothing like they are from Earth.

Even on Earth when you’re the farthest you can get from any human made light source and looking up you don’t see half as many stars and galaxies that Harry’s seeing right now. He plays connect the dots with the stars, making the constellations in his head as they wiz by. There’s so many that he starts to get overwhelmed by it.

He sighs, leaning back and resting his head back against the seat. It’s just. He loves this so much; Loves space and how wonderful it is. How so many things will most likely go undiscovered and unseen by anyone, or at least any human or human-hybrid. He wonders sometimes if there’s anyone millions of lightyears away thinking the same thing but that makes his brain go fuzzy with joy and pure wonder that he stops.

Just this once he’ll listen to Liam.

He closes his eyes and dreams about a life where he can see everything in its glory.

+

He’s woken up by nearly getting thrown out of his seat,” Jesus Christ.” He grumbles, and rubs at his shoulder from the seatbelt locking up. He’s sure he’ll have a bruise there by tomorrow.

“We’re here!” Liam yells.

Niall’s blurry, pixilated figure shows up on the mini screen. He doesn’t have on the orange suit anymore instead he’s in a plain white t-shirt.

“You took your suit off?” Liam asks him because of course he would. Honestly Harry never knew Liam would be so concerned about these suits.

“Nah, I just took off the top half and tied it around my waist because I was gettin’ hot.” He steps back so they can see his full body and sure enough the top half is hanging around his waist tied by the arms.

“Well we’ve just landed.” Zayn informs him.

Harry is looking out his little window at the planet. It looks a little like Mars but looks can be deceiving.

“Okay. So get your helmets and all the testing supplies and head out and start. Dr. Tennant told me to tell you guys good luck and everything.” Niall’s voice is excited and thrilled even though he’s on Earth in a room with about 10 other people monitoring their every move.

“On it boss.” They all mock salute before Niall fades out.

Harry inhales deeply, centering himself,” Well boys.” He unbuckles himself and grabs his helmet,” I think we should get on it.”

They all grab their helmets and specific testing supplies. Zayn hits the button that sends the ramp shooting out the side and the door sliding up.

Before taking in the planet in front of them Harry says,” Wow, well there’s gravity here.” It’s true because they’re being held down, not even mildly floating like they would on the moon. They all start to move their arms and jump just to make sure but still they’re planted firmly on the ground.

“Right. Spread out.” Zayn directs them all into a certain direction.

He goes north of the ship, sends Liam west, and Harry goes to the east of it.

“Page if you see anything or anything goes wrong.” Liam reminds them.

They all nod and head off in their directions.

Harry takes in the planet as he’s walking towards a pile of rocks he can see in the near-distance. The planet is a deep copper-red color almost like Mars but the ground isn’t as hard as Mars’ is, it’s more firm and bouncy? Like when walking through sand on the beach, he thinks.

There’s a huge hill in front of him, the pile of rocks is just beyond it by a yard or so, and it has a thin layer of grass looking blades but there not green there more a silver fuzz that barely sticks out and shines when this planets sun hits them just right.

They sky is a deep purple with the sun high up and shining. It’s strange to see a sky with a different color other than blue or the black with pinpricks of white like on Mars. He stares up for a moment just letting everything sink in.

He’s on his very first mission with his two best mates and his other best mate being the head Astronomer of it. He’s dreamed of this day ever since he and Liam enrolled into the Space Academy and after they met Zayn and Niall he only wanted it more.

And now here he is on LWT-21 his first planet ever and hopefully not his last.

He passes the hill and what he sees beyond it has him stopping in his tracks with his mouth hung open.

The silver fuzz he saw growing up the hill is almost as tall as him in the distant, swaying back and forth like there’s a breeze coming from somewhere nearby. There are trees with blue leaves and deep maroon trunks lined like an apple orchard.

He looks a little more to his left and sees a faint stream rushing by. _Water._ He thinks with wide eyes and a fast beating heart. From where he is it looks almost like liquid silver rushing by.

He pages Zayn and Liam,” Guys you should see this.” He tells them in awe.

“Do you see the river?” Zayn asks him, all hushed tones like if he speaks too loud he’ll disturb the mirage like atmosphere.

“Yea.” Liam and Harry both say at the same time.

They’re all silent after that. Harry starts to pick at the rocks, breaking some open and putting them into the bags and marking them appropriately when in the distance he notices something he didn’t before.

There’s a faint silhouette of what looks like a ship, but it’s not like any ship he’s ever seen before. It’s more squared off than circular, but it looks like its fading in and out and changing shape. He shakes his head not sure if he’s imagining it or not.  

He walks forwards to get a slightly better view and sees that it’s a bright royal-blue ship that’s actually circular but looks more like a square to him. He shrugs and goes to page Zayn and Liam when Liam is paging in panicked,” Boys, we, oh my god, come back to the ship.” He says.

Neither he nor Zayn respond both too busy running towards where they landed.

When Harry runs up he sees Liam looking at an empty space in front of them, then Zayn goes to ask what’s wrong from behind them when he falls silent.

“Where’s the ship?” He asks cautiously like this is some sort of joke.

“I. I don’t know.” Liam stutters,” I came back to get more bags and saw it lifting off and before I could do anything it was gone, like I have never seen it move so fast. I. What are we going to do?” He’s gone quite hysterical now.

Zayn places a consoling hand on his shoulder then taps something on his arm panel which controls who they can talk to from their helmets and contacts Niall.

Harry can hear them through his helmet and laughs a little when Zayn says,” Houston, we have a problem.”

Niall laughs at first because he obviously thinks it’s a joke but when none of them start laughing along with him he stops and asks, voice small and frightened,” What’s wrong?”

“The ship is gone.” Harry says his voice fragile.

“What?! How?!” Niall’s shouts. Harry can just see it now Niall talking into his little headset microphone and shouting into thin air, everyone looking back at him.

“We were out getting samples, and when I came back to get more bags it was lifting off.” Liam squeaks. He looks like he’s about to cry, like this is somehow his entire fault.

Niall grumbles, no he practically _growls,”_ Alright I’ll call the ship see who it is and if I can talk them into coming back and making a deal or something.”

The line cuts off leaving Harry, Liam and Zayn standing on a foreign planet with no way home.

The suits only last on 8 hours of oxygen and they’ve already used basically an hour. So if whoever took the ship isn’t back in the next 6 or 7 hours they’re pretty much dead.

“Has anyone checked the oxygen levels here?” Harry decides to ask because well if they do get stranded for an extended amount of time where there suits don’t last he would like to either be prepared to die or know he’ll be able to breathe.

“Yea, it’s pretty normal. There’s a slight lower level of nitrogen but nothing more than a percent or two than what it is back at home so we should we okay.” Zayn informs them.

No one takes off their helmets though, just in case.

Harry feels like he should tell them about the crashed ship,” So, I saw a crashed ship back where I was.” He scuffs his foot along the cooper ground, making dust spiral up in little clouds.

“What? Why didn’t you tell us?” Zayn scoffs, his lip curling like their own ship didn’t just get hijacked.

“I was about to but then Liam called.”

“Well, let’s go check it out then it’s not like we have anything better to do.” Liam wipes off his thighs like there’s something there or on his hands.

Harry leads them to where he saw the crashed ship and when they get up close, closer than Harry had been, they’re all awed and jaw-dropped.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Zayn walks around the whole thing which now again looks more like a square and not like a circle.

“Me either. This thing, I swear it changes. When I first saw it I thought it was squarer but then when I went a little closer it was like a circle and now it’s like a square again.” Harry touches what he assumes is the door and runs his fingers along the side.

“I think I’ve read about something like this.” Liam starts to knock on the side as if checking to see what it’s made of.

Zayn and Harry look to him so he’ll continue.

“I’m not sure exactly but it was something brief. I’m not even sure if it was an actual fact or just a side note or fantasy. One day I was in Dr. Tennant’s office and was looking at one of his books and one of them mentioned something about a ship that could change to blend with wherever it was at the time.”

“Like invisibility?” Harry suggests.

“No, more like, like,” He pauses trying to figure out the best way to describe it.

“Shape shifting?” Zayn supplies.

“Yes! Like shape shifting.” Liam looks to Zayn with thankful eyes that shout _I love you._

Harry gives up all pretense of checking out the ship and sits down so he could look over to the silver grass and blue trees.

Zayn’s walking around looking at every inch of the machine with what Harry, Liam and Niall call his ‘thinking face’. His brows are furrowed like he’s mentally going through files upon files of information in his mind while his bottom lip is tucked between his teeth nibbling like it helps him concentrate.

“I don’t understand.” He goes to run a hand through his hair but his helmet interjects which makes him let out an exasperated huff of air.

Liam, who is now sitting next to Harry with his knee pulled up and arms resting casually across it, says,” What?”

“This ship is so _different_. It’s incredible.”  

Zayn walks around the ship once more in admiration before taking a seat next to Liam with a thoughtful look on his face.

They sit in silence while looking off into the distance at this new world that is so much different from their own.

“It’s starting to get dark.” Harry breathes out.

The sky has gone from its deep purple with the sun almost in the center to being almost along the horizon and the sky turning black just like on Earth. The sunset is different as well as pretty much everything else they’ve seen. When it gets lower in the sky it’s fading from its purple to a shade of blue and the shyest shade of red peeking through.

“How long do you think a day lasts here?” Harry asks. He’s sure they were probably told but he doesn’t remember.

“I think Niall said about 16 or 18 hours, something like that.” Zayn informs him.

“Yea it’s about 18 hours.” A familiar voice comes through there helmet headsets.

“Niall!” They all shout which has them groaning because of the echo.

“Hello boys. So I contacted the ship and saw who took it and got him to come back to get you guys.” Niall tells them while slurping on what can only be a straw.

“So who was it is? Human? Alien?” Harry questions.

“Well he looked normal, like human, he even had a northern accent.” He says matter-a-factly.

“When is he going to be back then?” Liam asks for them all.

“Well he should be back within an hour or two. But it was under a condition that he went back to get you guys.”

“What condition?” Zayn sounds annoyed like Niall is stupid for negotiating with a might-be-a-species-of-alien-that-we-don’t-know-of-yet.

“Apparently he crashed his ship,” Niall starts and they all look behind them to the ship that’s still shimmering between a circle and a square,” so I guess he knows how to attach the ships inner-gravitational pull to each other or something. Basically you guys are gonna take the ship back here so he can fix it up and be on his way with his life.”

“Oh, okay.” Zayn says.

“Yea, so finish up your work that you can while you’re waiting because I know you’re suits don’t’ last that long. Page when he arrives.” Niall cuts out with a cheerful voice.

“How is he so cheerful when our ship just got hijacked by a maybe-alien maybe-not-alien person who he’s trusting to come back on his word.” Harry deadpans.

Liam shakes his head,” That’s just Niall.”

+

Over the next hour he, Zayn and Liam continue what they can in regards to obtaining all the information and samples from LWT-21 so the astronomers and scientists alike can all inspect and compare them.

It’s dark now and one of the many different things between LWT-21 and Earth is that instead of having one moon it has two moons. One is just about the size of our moon along with a smaller almost Pluto sized moon next to it. It’s a sight to see so they capture the shining orbs in the darkened yet ever so bright sky on a special camera they were given for cataloguing.

“Well I think we’ve gotten everything we can boys.” Liam chimes.

“Yea, especially since everything else we need to get more stuff is on the ship.” Harry says annoyed.

“Oh stop it.” Zayn laughs.

“Well I’m sorry I’m a little pissed someone _hijacked_ our ship our only way home and Niall, that stupid half Irish half fucking Novian arse trusted this person to come back on their word.” Harry’s standing with a hand on his jutted out hip while the other hand is flailing in the air.

There’s a low rumbling sound in the distance which is shortly followed by the low vibrations and tremors that buzz through the ground.

“Looks like the stranger kept to his word.” Zayn pointedly says.

Harry doesn’t even respond. He turns on his heels and starts back to where the ship has surely landed.

The walk is short, maybe 10 minutes from where they were but when Harry gets there he’s out of breath. He checks the oxygen meter on the suit to see that it’s getting low.

The door and ramp to the ship is drawn up, still closed and until all three of them are standing in front of it and looking expectantly at it for it to just _open_ it does. It’s sort of like in the movies when the hero is descending from the battle that he’s won or landing to save people from some horrible occurrence. The ramp comes out as the door is sliding up with smoke curling around a short, spiky haired figure.

“Oh great it’s a Kitlo.” Harry mutters. Kitlo’s are pretty much part feline and are recognized mostly for their spiky hair.

“No, I don’t think so.” Zayn mutters, “ Niall would’ve told us and plus Kitlo’s do not have ships like that one back there.”

The silhouette disappears behind the smoke and then comes sliding down the ramp in a theatrical manner while hacking up a lung.

“Wow, sorry. I went a little heavy on the smoke there.” This _man_ stands up, wipes off his white colored, tight jeans of the copper colored dust and looks at them like he didn’t hijack their ship and leave them stranded on this planet.

Before anyone else can say anything they all stare at this person in front of them and Harry knows for a fact that Liam and Zayn are staring to try and figure him out but Harry on the other hand is purely staring because he’s stunned.

Harry can barely even be mad anymore because of how stunned he is this guy-

This guy, alien, person, _being_ , is shorter than Harry himself by a full head, but his sandy brown fringed spiky tipped, askew hair makes up for some height but not much. His skin is tanned and golden like a beach junky, even in the brightness of two moons it still glows like the sun. His eyes when hit with the vibrant white from the moons are an electric blue that makes you freeze in your tracks just to stop and stare. The rest of his body is just godly. His muscular yet slim arms peak out from a simple grey t-shirt, there’s a few ink blots scattered across his right arm but not many, his waist is small but curves out into thick thighs and Harry can’t really see from here but he’s sure that he has an A-Class bum behind him.

Basically this guy is everything Harry could every want in a person.

“Umm Harry?” Zayn waves his hand in front of his dazed face.

Harry blinks, unconsciously licks his lips and gasps for air that’s running out. He turns to Zayn, still not fully focused but enough. Zayn eyes him worriedly before looking back to Mr. Hijacker.

See Harry’s 21 and has seen loads and loads of great looking people, has shagged a decent amount of them because of their looks but this petit, spiky haired guy in front of them beats every person Harry has ever shagged by like infinite; to say the least he’s a little attraction-shocked.

“Hi I’m Zayn, this is Liam and dazed and confused over here is Harry.” Zayn introduces them and if Harry were in his right mind he would ask Zayn why exactly he was introducing them to this Hijacker but he’s not so he just keeps his mouth shut and keeps roaming his eyes all over this guys face and how the light stubble across his cheeks make his cheekbones stand out like broken shards of glass.

“Hi, I’m Louis.” And just when Harry thought that this person couldn’t get any better he talks- and Jesus he does have a north and even though he spoke earlier Harry actually hears the slight rasp and higher pitch to it now and nearly passes out from lack of oxygen.

“How about we get your shipped linked up to Serendipity here so we can head out or at least charge up the suits because the air is running a little low.” Liam suggests.

“Oh the air here is fine.” Louis hums, he walks forward a little, throwing his head back, and spreading his arms like wings. He visibly takes a deep breath, closing his eyes making his eyelashes leave shadows on those wonderful cheekbones. He exhales, tilting his head back forward and opening his eyes looking straight into Harry’s for a moment or two, long enough for Harry to gasp for more air he doesn’t have.

Louis looks away a beat later and looks back to Liam.

“Yup same as on Earth. You know I’ve been to Earth many times. Glad you Humans are finally expanding across the galaxy if I’m honest. You’ve got a long way to go.” He seems so sure of himself that the Humans will expand across the whole Milky Way that Liam and Zayn just side eye each other in confusion.

“Anyways, yea I’ll go connect the ships. Be right back!” Louis takes out a small object from his pants pocket, hits it against the palm of his hand until it’s lighting up blue and buzzing like the pen thing Dr. Tennant has and starts to skip towards the direction of his crashed ship.

After Louis is a safe distance away they all move into the ship, Zayn practically dragging Harry who is currently daydreaming about biting Louis’ thighs and leaving marks along his neck.  

“Mate are you alright you’ve been wide eyed and dazed for like 10 minutes now.” Zayn says worriedly as he takes off his helmet.

“I-.” Harry starts and he really doesn’t know what to say for himself except that he’s pretty sure that he’s either just found his soulmate or that Louis is some fucking fairy creature that has some ability to enchant people because he’s never _ever_ reacted that way to anyone else before.

And sure he’s met extremely attractive people before,  Zayn for example is a piece of art that can’t even be sculpted to look anymore perfect but Louis is just, really Harry doesn’t even know how to explain it.

“I’m fine.” He manages to lie just as Louis steps back onto the ship and hits the button to shut the door and bring up the ramp. (Liam had brought up all the samples and everything when they boarded.)

He sits next to Harry in the back,” You look like someone’s just electrocuted you.” He states while pulling on one of Harry’s curls that are now free to breathe since they’re no longer in his helmet.

They take time to recuperate before they get ready to leave. They need some time to let the air in the ship flow and wind through their lungs, replenishing their air supply throughout their body. Everyone’s silent, the only sound being the low frequent buzz from the little monitor on the dashboard that Niall occasionally pops up on and the steady inhaling and exhaling of air.  

A moment passes before Louis deeply sighs and starts to wiggle in his seat. Harry catches a piece of his hip that peeks out as his shirt rides up and breathes through it, concentrates on everything other than that. Zayn eyes him curiously, an eyebrow quirking up and a small smirk on his face.  

“Y’alright?” At least he can coherently form words and actual thoughts now.

“Yea, just restless, can’t be in one place for too long. Drives me mad.” Louis answers as he pulls out the little buzzing gadget and starts to fiddle with a button that can’t be bigger than a grain of rice.

“Could’ve guessed that with you stealing our ship and all.” Harry doesn’t mean for it to come out so annoyed and frustrated but it does. One because he did steal the ship and sort of left them here to die even if he did say the air was okay; and two because Louis is making him react in ways he never has before and he doesn’t know _why._

“Yea sorry about that, I don’t always think things through, usually just go with it.”

Zayn’s staring, very hard Harry might say, at Louis like he’s this strange thing they’ve never seen before.

“I don’t mean to be rude,” Zayn’s reluctant voice echoes against the metal of the ship,” But what exactly are you?”

It’s obviously directed at Louis and if the way he freezes and stops working on the little gadget says anything it’s that he doesn’t really want to get into this or is at least hesitant about it.

He looks up to Zayn and just stares at him, like he’s trying to figure out a million things at once in only a few seconds.

“You’re a Dolortorian aren’t you?”

“I am.” Zayn nods.

“Your people practically know almost every species to ever be recorded anywhere.” Louis says as if they all don’t know that.

Zayn nods again,” And I may not have seen all of the species I know but I know most ships and yours. I- I’ve never seen anything like it. Only read about it in books, heard about it through legends and myths. And _you_ I can’t even place what planet you’re from.” He’s flustered and aggravated Harry can tell and one thing you don’t ever want to see is when a Dolortorian can’t figure something out, it’s like a ticking time bomb. Thankfully Zayn’s pretty good at keeping himself under control.

Louis’ eyes sparkle as his lips turn up into a playful smirk,” You know I’ve known a lot of your kind in my days. I’ve seen you evolve from little 3 feet tall purple blobs to what you are today, and even though you’re half human I can still see the Dolo features in you. Sharp cheekbones, fluffy hair, eyes that _think_ they know everything.”

Harry isn’t sure he likes where this is heading because Louis’ tone is challenging, egging Zayn on.

“Your short, fluffed hair, tanned, aged eyes that know so much, have probably seen things I can’t even imagine yet still shine like an electric current when the light hits them. And that, that thing you have- Zayn points to the gadget that Louis still holds in his hands- I’ve only ever seen one like it before.” Zayn’s deducting everything he can; mentally throwing things out of possibility has he lists through things aloud, narrowing down what species Louis could be.

“Your ship shimmers, almost like it wants to change between shape and form. That, now that I know I’ve only read about, myths about machines that no longer exist that were wiped out with their creators in an old war that still only exists in its own bubble in the universe somewhere.” Zayn’s furrowed brows and concentrated eyes change in a split second,” There is no way.” He’s almost silent, eyes now wide and eyebrows high up on his forehead.

“No, no, no, no. I don’t believe it. There is no way. They were wiped out. How!” Harry thinks Zayn might actually be on the verge of exploding.

Liam looks to Harry who’s diagonal him in their seating arrangement with a question mark expression.

“Your guess is any better than mine.” He lifts his hands in a ‘what can you do’ manner.

“So you’ve figured it out.” Louis smirks.

“Explain, because there is now way you are.” Zayn is intrigued now, the excitement to learn and store new information courses through his blood, his eyes start to glow a vibrant purple-violet color. Something Dolo’s eyes do when they’re about to learn something or are so intrigued by something mysterious or unknown (or sometimes it’s just they’re plan excited about something.)

“Wait, before he explains anything what is he and why should he not be here?” Harry asks and Liam nods in agreement.

“He’s a Time Lord.” Zayn says with a roll of his eyes like they should know.

Harry and Liam look to one another almost to check to see if the other is just as clueless.

“Ughh.”  Zayn groans,” Okay, so Time Lords were basically Gods, hence the Lord thing, in a way. They knew their way around time, paradoxes, space, literally _everything._ They knew and saw everything before, during and after it happened. It’s actually believed by some people that Humans are related to them in a way and have a similar DNA structure because they of course came first and you guys obviously look alike. Oh and they have two hearts.” Before Zayn can continue Louis cuts in.

“And then the fire nation attacked.”

The three boys look to each other in confusion but just then Niall pages in and catches the old-age phrase and starts laughing.

“I like that one; he has a well known knowledge of past times.” Louis points to the screen with a grin on his face.

After Niall’s laughter dies down he informs them that Dr. Tennant would like for them to start heading back now which  abruptly cuts short the learning session Liam and Harry were getting from both Louis and Zayn.

Liam starts the ship, checks that Louis’ ship is linked through the gravity hold and takes off.

+

After they’re off and on the move Louis decides he’s going to make Harry’s shoulder his pillow. Harry’s all for naps and everything especially to pass the time but he’s just met Louis and considering that he basically went into this trance when he first saw him it’s safe to say that he’s trying very hard not to show that he’s a mess at the moment. It’s like he’s a schoolgirl with a crush, it’s embarrassing.

Louis’ feathery hair tickles Harry’s neck and jaw sending shivers all along his spine.

“Loosen up Curly.” Louis whispers as he snuggles just a little closer. He’s very handsy Harry notes.

Harry does, he relaxes back into the seat, head against the rest, the prefect view to look out the small window. They pass by stars and galaxies alike, Harry stares and names them in his head as they pass.

He doesn’t realise he’s started humming until Louis starts to hum along with him. It’s some tune, probably a lullaby that his mother use to sing to him when he was younger about how people came from stars. It’s soft and gentle like the laps of the ocean against the shore.

Harry’s sure that Zayn and Liam see them in the rearview mirror and he doesn’t really care because there’s nothing to suspect, they’ve just met barely know anything about each other but before Harry falls asleep too he catches the upturn of Liam’s lips and a knowing glint in his eyes.

(What he doesn’t see is Zayn’s worried glance.)

+

Niall meets them at the landing dock when they, well, land.

He still has on his almost identical space suit with his white shirt showing and the suit top tied around his waist.

“Lads!” He shouts jogging over to them as they descend down the ramp, Liam and Zayn are carrying the samples they collected along with the other gadgets that hold information.

“How was it!? I can’t wait to hear all about it!” Niall says and then when he sees Louis standing off towards the side fiddling with that stupid little buzzing thing he says,” Aye, you’re the one that took the ship. Where’s yours? I’ll tell ‘em to haul it over to the garage so they can repair it.”

Louis stops then and shouts,” No!” He pauses when Niall startles composes himself and then starts again,” I mean thanks and all but I’d rather work on it myself if that’s alright? It’s just its very special and not many people have even seen one of my ships let alone have worked on one before.”

Niall nods confused but understanding,” Yea that’s fine. Do you still want me to have them bring it to the garage though?”

“Err. Well I would rather not to be honest. Umm I’ll just work on it out here?” He’s looking between all four of them now but when his eyes land on Harry he starts to smile the tiniest bit and asks, not unlocking his electric eyes from Harry’s soft green ones,” Unless Curly over there has a place I could put it?”

They all look over to him. He gulps and shifts from foot to foot awkwardly,” Uhh yea, we have a garage you could put it in.”

“Her.” Louis corrects him,” You have a garage I could put _her_ in.”

And okay he’s one of _those_ kinds of people. The one’s that treat their ships like their actually alive and have feelings.

“Okay yea.”

Liam clears his throat and puts down one of the containers on the cart that one of the floor-guys has brought over.

“How long do you think it’ll take you to fix ‘er up?”

“Not sure. I tried to fix her back on Pomple, the planet you guys were exploring, but this stupid thing kept defecting so I couldn’t do much, can’t until I fix this thing.” He hits the buzzing thing on his palm a couple more times as if that’ll help fix it.

“Hey doesn’t Dr. Tennant have one of those?” Niall tilts his head and watches as Louis adjusts one of the side buttons.

“Yea, it’s the only other one I’ve ever seen.” Zayn seems as if he’s in deep thought, trying to figure something out.

“Can I meet this Dr. Tennant?” Louis asks them.

Niall shrugs, “Sure why not?”

They take a golf cart back up to the building, remove their suits and get back into more comfortable clothes (Well Niall doesn’t but its Niall so it’s not really a surprise.)

While Harry is changing he mentally goes through everything that’s happened within the last day, day and a half. They’ve gone to the new planet, saw a whole new and different world compared to theirs, their ship got hijacked by apparently a member of a species that’s only in legends and shouldn’t even be alive and now they’re about to go talk to Dr. Tennant about his buzzing pen, he’s assuming.

He can’t believe any of it at the moment and then it hits him that he’s exhausted and really wants his bed.

 

Dr. Tennant is sitting with his feet perched on his desk with a Rubik’s Cube in his hands. He’s idly flipping the layers, not really paying attention to it as they walk in.

“Boys! How was it?” He asks immediately.

They all nod and mumble that it went pretty well which has Tennant’s full attention but when Louis finally stumbles in with his gadget buzzing Tennant stops and looks over to him.

“And who’s this.” Dr. Tennant stands up from behind his desk, leaving the Rubik’s Cube on the corner, and walks over now standing in front of Louis.

Dr. Tennant is taller than Louis, almost like Harry-Tall over him. They’re total opposites, Dr. Tennant tall and thin and Louis short and muscular.

 “’M Louis.” He says voice high and delighted to be here.

“Dr. Tennant. “ He introduces himself.

“So I hear you’ve got one these babies too?” Louis holds up the device and presses the button, the top glows blue and the buzzing noise bounces through the room.

“I do.” Dr. Tennant takes his out of his coat pocket and hits the button.

Both devices are almost identical. The only difference being is that Louis’ looks like the newer update version while Dr. Tennant’s looks like the old one.

“I don’t even know what it is to be honest. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen, well besides yours now.” Dr. Tennant puts it back into his pocket and shrugs.

“It’s a sonic.” Louis informs them,” May I ask where you got it?”

“This man came up to me one day and just asked if I wanted to buy it and it was pretty cheap so I did.”

Louis doesn’t respond for a moment, lets that information sink it.

Apparently it doesn’t bother him to much because he puts his own sonic away and walks over and picks up the Rubik’s Cube.

He starts walking around, not even paying attention to what his hands are doing as he turns and flips the layers of the Cube.

“You have a nice establishment here.” He directs to Dr. Tennant.

“Thanks. Could I ask who you are? Not to be rude. It’s just Niall told me someone hijacked their ship and that person would be coming back with them and I’m assuming that was you.”

“Yea. Sorry about that. I just. My ship crashed and she’s usually really easily fixable but this time she sort of didn’t want to be fixed for some reason. I’ll have to talk to her about that.” He mumbles to himself.

Harry’s been watching Louis’ small hands turn the Cube’s layers over and over. He’s solved and mixed up the colors about 3 times already and he’s only had it for about 2 minutes. Harry keeps watching him eyes wide the whole time.

“Are you seeing this?” He whispers to Liam.

“The cube?” He asks.

“Yea, he’s solved it like 3 times already. Without looking!!” He scream-whispers.

“Anyways, yea I’m a Time Lord.” He shrugs like it doesn’t mean anything when it means, according to Zayn at least, a whole lot of things.

“A what? A Time Lord?!” Dr. Tennant throws his hands in the air only to bring them back down to grip his brown hair,” But they’re gone, they went extinct.”

“Yea I know. I’m the only one left.” Harry notes a hint of sadness in Louis’ hollow voice.

He finally puts down the solved cube on the desk, he walks over to Harry linking their arms through one another’s,” Come on Harry, let’s get my ship back to your garage.”

Harry stares down at and their linked bride and groom styled arms then up to Louis. He meets electric eyes that are beginning to dull. They look tried and like they’ve seen too much, have experienced so much hurt and loss that he just can’t handle much of it anymore.

Harry also sees eyes that say “please” and he’s not sure what exactly for but he nods.

“Where’re you gonna stay?” Harry whispers, trying to make it private for a reason he really doesn’t know.

Louis blinks slow, his eyelashes just barely touching his cheeks. He doesn’t say anything just looks up to Harry with the same pleading look.

Everyone’s watching their all too private exchange but then Liam speaks up with a soft voice,” He can stay at ours. I’ll come by tomorrow and grab some things and stay with Zayn for a few days or however long he needs.”

Harry nods, says a silent goodbye to everyone and leads himself and Louis out of the room to get Louis’ ship.

**part iii.**

+

When they get to Harry’s, the ship in tow (which has transformed into a blue police box) Louis is still clinging to Harry’s side, never leaving like a parasite but more welcomed.

They put the ship in the large garage the flat came with and Louis takes his sonic and million time locks the garage so no one other than him or Harry can get in.

Harry gives him the grand tour, shows him the ins and out of everything they have in the place, shows him where the bathroom is, where all the food is. Everything. Louis just nods along and looks at Harry with bright blue eyes that make his heart flutter like a butterfly.

“Would you like tea, or something to eat?” Harry asks because his mother taught him his manners and even though Louis makes his heart pound louder and faster than usual it doesn’t mean that he’s forgotten them.

“Tea please.” Louis says, his voice low and sleepy.

He hops up onto the counter as Harry makes them both tea. Guessing how Louis likes it and apparently getting it right because when Louis takes his first sip his eyes roll back and he hums in the back of his throat.

“Haven’t had tea like this in ages. ‘S very good.” Louis mumbles between sips.

“Thanks.” Harry blushes the slightest, a light shade of pink on the apples of his cheeks.  

He watches Louis sip down the whole cup, watches his adam’s apple bob when he swallows and all he can think about it biting along his neck. He shakes his head to clear away his thoughts. He doesn’t know Louis and he’s leaving once he’s fixed his ship so he really should just stop thinking like that now anyways.  He takes the cup from Louis and places them both in the sink.

“I’ll go make your bed up. You can watch TV or whatever you’d like.” Harry stands awkwardly in the doorway before Louis smiles and shakes his head a little, making his fringe fall in front of his eyes.

“Yea, I’ll just.” Harry points behind him with his thumb then walks out and down the hall into Liam’s room.

While he’s stripping the sheets and putting fresh ones on Harry starts to wonder about the whole Time Lord thing. He doesn’t really know much about them, he’s never even heard of them before. He wants to ask Louis but figures that’s for another time.

Harry’s thankful that Liam keeps his room relatively neat so he doesn’t have to straighten it up too much. He checks everything over once more before heading back out to tell Louis that if he wants to he can lay down.

“Louis-“ Harry starts but when he walks into the living room he sees Louis’ small figure curled up in a ball on the couch, hugging himself. His chest tightens for some unknown reason at the sight of the small sleeping boy.

He rolls his eyes and walks over to him; instead of shaking him awake he picks him up bridal style, figures he might as well give the guy a break since his ship was wrecked and all. Louis subconsciously snuggles into Harry’s neck and clings to him, just like he’s been doing all day.

He wonders if Time Lords are the cuddling type, makes a mental note to ask Zayn when he sees him next.

When he lays Louis down on Liam’s bed and takes his pants off (because no one actually likes sleeping in jeans) he tucks him under the comforter which Louis automatically snuggles under until just the top of his head is peaking out.

“Night Lou.” Harry laughs as he shuts the light off and clicks the door shut.

 

That night when he’s lying in his own bed looking up at the stars through his glass ceiling and noting the ones that he saw from the wormhole he wonders about the boy in the other room and how he already feels this connection to him even though he’s not even known him for a day yet.

He sighs turns to his side and falls asleep, dreaming of the stars and electric blue eyes.

+

When Harry wakes up instead of the thudding he heard weeks ago he hears this agonizing beeping noise that makes his ears ring. It takes him all of 5 seconds to realise that it’s the fire alarm. He jumps out of bed not bothering to put any pants on because his flat may actually be burning down and runs out into the kitchen.

Louis is standing in a cloud smoke, his short silhouette just visible by the sun that streams through the small window above the sink. He’s waving his hands around to clear the smoke when Harry rushes over to open the window to air the place out.

He coughs,” What in God’s name were you trying to do?” The smoke gets thinner each second which he’s thankful for.

“I was trying to make breakfast.” Louis coughs.

Harry grabs his arm lightly and leads them into the living room where the smoke is just a light fog instead of dense clouds.

“I haven’t made actual food in a while but I wanted to say thank you for helping me yesterday but instead I almost burned down your flat.” He sulks plopping down onto the couch.

Harry chuckles because even though Louis did almost burn down the house it’s the thought that counts. Plus he’s absolutely adorable when he’s pouting but Harry didn’t say that.  

“What exactly were you trying to make?” Harry says, the smoke finally clearing out.

“Cereal.” Louis deadpans.

Harry tucks his lips into his mouth to stop from laughing but he can’t, let’s out a bark of laughter that he covers with his hand to mute.

Louis glares up at him, eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed in front of his chest,” Stop.”

“I’m sorry.” Harry starts through his laughter,” But how did you get cereal to _smoke_?”

Louis digs into the pocket of his jeans that Harry had taken off of him last night and pulls out the sonic as an explanation.

Harry nods in understanding even though he’s clueless.

“Well why don’t I make us food from now on alright?” Harry suggests.

Louis nods, his knit brows smoothing out and a smirk playing at his lips as he deliberately moves his eyes from Harry’s curls to his feet.

Harry looks down at himself remembering that he didn’t put any clothes on to conceal his legs and torso, the only thing covering him being his tight black boxers. He can feel his whole body turning pink with embarrassment.

“Nothing to blush over love, just admiring the view.” Louis teases, leaning back with his arms behind his head and one leg crossed over the other.

The teasing smirk on Louis’ face is the definition of mischievous. It makes Harry’s insides burn and flutter at the same time with something he really doesn’t want to put a name to.

“I’m gonna go in the shower.” He stutters and pads off down the hall into the too large bathroom with his and her sinks.

He stands with his back against the door, the wood cooling his skin and calming him down. He inhales deeply before turning on the water extra hot.

After dropping his boxers and stepping into the water, he lets it run all over him, flattening his curls and turning his skin bright red like a cooked lobster, lets the steam clear his mind. After he finishes washing his hair and body he pads out and into his room with only a towel around his waist.

He closes his bedroom door behind him because, well, Louis is out there and he doesn’t want him staring at him again but when he turns around he’s met with blue eyes and that same stupid smirk.

Harry nearly drops his towel which wouldn’t be good for either of them,” What are you doing in here?” He asks with an annoyed tilt to his voice but comes out more like a shocked mother. His skin is still pink from his shower so Louis doesn’t notice the blush that creeps all over his body.

“Well I can’t stay in these clothes and my ship is being quite hormonal since her crashing and won’t let me in to get clean ones so I thought I’d come find some of yours.” He deadpans like taking a nearly strangers clothes while they’re in the shower is a normal thing people do, or a normal thing he does.

“Alright, I’ll get you something but could you..er.. get out for a moment?” He doesn’t want to sound rude but he’s stark naked with the exception of his towel.

“Sure.” Louis’ looking at him, practically devouring him with this eyes as he gets up and leaves the room.

Harry sits on his bed and grabs his phone from his bedside table and dials Zayn’s number.

“’Lo?”

“Zayn, explain everything Time Lord to me please.” He whines

Zayn’s silent and hesitant when he finally speaks,” Harry, it’s not really my place. I’m sorry just talk to Louis yea?”

Harry lets out a frustrated groan,” Fine.”

“It’s just I don’t know a lot for myself and I don’t want to misinform you and just what I know should really be told by him because it’s part of his story.” Zayn’s apologetic tone settles Harry the slightest bit.

“Could I ask you one thing though?” He pleads.

Zayn grunts.

“Are they really clingy or something?” It’s rude to say, he knows, but him and Louis have known each other for just about a day and he’s clung to him since they left LWT-21.

“Errr, just talk to him alright. Bye!” Zayn shouts, and alright that’s not what he was expecting.

 

“Here.” Harry tosses Louis a pair of joggers and t-shirt for him to change into.

“Ahh, thanks!” Louis scurries off, actually scurries not quite running yet not quite walking, down the hall and into Liam’s bedroom to change.

Harrys’ not entirely sure how to bring up the whole Time Lord thing because back on the ship Louis was hesitant about the whole thing, didn’t seem like he really wanted to talk about it. It’s just, Louis’ not like anyone else Harry has ever met and not in that sappy romantic sort of way more in this enigmatic ‘what are you’ sort of way.

He busies himself with making them actual food when Louis comes back out with his bottom lip jutted out into a pout, eyes wide like saucers so blue that you could swim in them.

“These are huge.” He pouts.

Harry looks Louis up and down and suppresses a laugh. His clothes are huge on him, the joggers having to be rolled up on the bottom multiple times just so Louis’ ankles can poke out, the shirt baggy and long over his little tummy, resting lightly over his hips and the dip in his back. It’s quite adorable when Harry thinks about it, but shakes his head because, no isn’t he supposed to not have these thoughts about Time Lords he knows nothing about?

“Don’t laugh! I’ll sonic you!” Louis says and pulls out his sonic pointing it at Harry like a weapon.

Harry rolls his eyes, fonder than what it really should be,” Well you are smaller than me so that should’ve been a given, anyways I made pancakes hope you like chocolate chip.” Harry places his own and Louis’ plate on the table.

Louis’ face lightens up, the bigger clothes clearly forgotten as he sits down and starts to stab into his pancakes shoving a whole tiny stack into his mouth. It makes his cheeks puff out as he chews and hums happily. He looks like a chipmunk. Harry tries really hard not to smile but again, it’s hard.

“Aye, Curly why you smilin’?” Louis says around another forkful and he sounds like an Italian man pointing his fork towards Harry when it leaves his mouth.

“You look like a chipmunk with your cheeks all filled like that.” He giggles, _actually_ giggles. Harry Styles does not giggle. He is not a 12 year old girl.  

Louis shrugs, obviously too enamored with the pancakes.

Harry sighs nothing more than a breath of air that escapes his lips. He cuts into his own pancakes filled with too many chocolate chips and just the right amount of syrup over the top, taking a bite and loving the fact that his mum taught him the best when it came to pancakes.

They’re silent as they eat their pancakes, and drink their large cups of milk. Harry stealing glances at Louis each time he makes a sound of enjoyment. It’s endearing and makes Harry’s stomach flutter a million times knowing that Louis _likes_ something he’s done. It’s strange since they haven’t known each other long but he can’t help it.

When they’re both stuffed and leaning back in their chairs Harry decides he should ask now while Louis is in some sort of pancake-euphoria state of mind.

“Uhh, Louis?” Harry leans on his elbows, he’s all business.

“Mmm.” Louis hums.

“Could you , um, I don’t mean to intrude but could you tell me about the Time Lord thing?”

Louis looks stunned for a moment before he’s up and out of his seat grabbing his and Harry’s plate bringing them over to the sink. Harry sighs, aggravated but he understands, and he knew this would be a touchy subject just from how he acted earlier towards it.

He hears the water turn on and Louis fiddling with the dial for the soap and sponge then there’s a splash and the buzzing noise from his sonic.

“There, all clean.” He says and walks off towards the garage. He doesn’t say anything just opens and shuts the door with a soft click.

Harry gets up to check the dishes and sure enough there’s nothing but ashes in the sink. He chuckles a little, a low throaty sound. Louis means well, he does.

After cleaning up the remnants of the dishes Harry grabs his phone and leans against the counter, dials Zayn’s number again and waits for him to answer.

“Yes Harry?”

“You know how you told me to ask Louis, well I did and then he tried to wash the dishes but burned them and now he’s in the garage working on his ship.” He sighs, and wow has he been doing that a lot since Louis was thrown into his life.

“Okay Harry listen.” Zayn starts and he’s not sure but it sounds like Zayn’s out of breathe. He shakes his, doesn’t want to think about why that could be.

“Time Lords are, well from what I know, _which is very limited_ , mind you; they’re very closed off kind of. All I know is that they usually travel with a companion, which is most times human from what I’ve read.” Zayn grunts, Harry furrows his brow,” They usually don’t like staying in one place for too long, well this one I read about doesn’t anyways, I’ve only ever read about one- _ahhh_.”

“Zayn, Zayn, are you and Liam fucking oh God, you dirty bastards, I’m hanging up thanks.”

Sadly that’s not the first time that either Zayn or Liam has picked up Harry’s call while they were in the middle of something. He paces the kitchen for about a minute before walking to the door in the hallway that leads to the garage. He’s about to knock when he hears Louis talking in soft whispers.

Harry presses his ear against the door, almost holding his breath and listens.

It sounds like he’s pacing, back and forth, the little taps his bare feet hitting the floor,” He just doesn’t get it, you know? He won’t understand at all. Maybe he’ll be weirded out. Maybe not though? People are usually attracted to my weirdness. Anyways, just Sexy what do you think?”

He’s obviously talking about Harry, but to whom he’s not sure. Apparently someone called Sexy? Maybe he is one of those people who name’s their ships.

His suspicions rings true when there’s a grumble like gears turning and a whistle.

“Yea, you’re right.” He hears Louis say,” I’m gonna have to tell him sooner or later though.”

Another whistle.

“What?”

Then Harry’s stumbling to catch his balance because Louis’ opened the door and caught him red handed eaves dropping on his conversation with his ship.

“Harry.” Louis rolls his eyes.

He should run, probably hide for eaves dropping on a Time Lord, he doesn’t even know what they can do other than burn things with their sonic, but instead he blurts, “You call your ship Sexy?”

Louis laughs, even though it’s evident on his face he’s a little annoyed at Harry for eaves dropping,” Yes. Would you like to meet her?”

“Uhh, sure.” Harry walks into the garage and over to the front of the blue police box.

“Hello Sexy.” He says.

She whistles.

So apparently ships do have their own feelings and things, he was wrong.

“She doesn’t like you very much.” Louis says from next to him.

“Oh, well thanks.” Harry can’t believe he’s upset that _a ship_ doesn’t like him.

“Want to see inside?” Louis asks.

“She doesn’t like me I don’t think she’s gonna let me inside.” Harry points out.

They both cackle manically at the innuendo but neither of them comments on it.

“She’ll be fine, won’t ya Sexy?” He pats her side.

She whistles but let’s Louis push her doors open.

“Lou, you do know that the sign says ‘Pull to Open.’ Right?” Harry asks before stepping into the ship.

“Oh God, please don’t start. Do you know how many times I have heard that over the past 1500 hundred years?”

Between Louis just admitting his age and Harry being in a ship that’s so much bigger on the inside than it is on the outside he’s pretty dumbfounded.

When you walk [in](http://24.media.tumblr.com/e8f370a9e02984626c304d64dfd743b7/tumblr_mm5l58jW9M1qh402go2_250.gif) there’s a little bridge which leads you to what can only be classified as mission control. It’s this circular table with a long tube running from the top of the ship to the bottom with so many buttons, levers, and gizmos alike running all over its surface. There’s a small staircase that leads to somewhere, Harry doesn’t know, isn’t sure if he’s even near ready to find out if he could.

On top of that, everything is platinum, or maybe its chrome? He’s not sure but its all silver and the lights on the controls glow blue and green, the occasional red. It’s stunning, the most beautiful ship Harry’s ever seen. 

“Whoa,” Harry says, and Louis looks expectant like he’s waiting for Harry to say something,” It’s bigger on the inside.”

Louis beams, runs around the circular control center and hits a button which makes parade music start to play,” I’ve missed hearing those words!” He shouts and runs up the stairs and back down and right in front of Harry.

Harry who’s smiling because Louis looks so much in his element and he doesn’t look a day over 23 and he’s such an enigma in Harry’s mind he really can’t fathom anything.

“Let’s go-.” Louis starts but then stops face falling realising that they can’t go anywhere because Sexy isn’t working properly.

Sexy whistles and Louis flaps his hand around in the air,” Alright, alright. Come on she’s getting annoyed.” He says and shoos Harry out of the doors.

He locks Sexy up with a key and places it on the top of the door.

Then he turns back to Harry, timid expression on his face,” Sorry about before, it’s just. It’s hard. I don’t think you’d understand much of anything.” He shrugs.

“I could try though.” Harry says and maybe it’s simple but if the way that Louis lights up doesn’t say that it’s enough then him dragging Harry into the living room does.

They sit on the couch criss-cross applesauce facing each other before Harry prompts,” So the Time Lord thing.”

Louis takes a deep breath,” Right. So I’m a Time Lord. Sexy is a [TARDIS](http://31.media.tumblr.com/955bfa7f2899017db09eec0386076c4a/tumblr_mh35h9DEAe1qfjz1bo1_500.jpg). Time and Relative Dimension in Space. I stole her long ago; so long I barely remember to be honest. I traveled a lot, you know through space and time. Oh, I have two hearts- yup - beats like a marimba.” He looks thoughtful for a moment,” Don’t know how you humans live with only one. Anyways, after a while of traveling I went back home pf this war that was happening, The Time War. It’s still happening actually except it’s in this bubble in space basically that no one can get to. Time Lords versus the Daleks. Awful creatures they are. I’m the only Time Lord left. I’m 1500 years old, and this is my 13th and last regeneration.”

“Wait, what’s regeneration?” Harry asks.

“It’s sort of our way of cheating death. When were about to die instead of actually dying we regenerate into a new body, get a whole new face, teeth, hair, the whole nine yards.”

“Why’s this your last?” He asks next.

“We’re only allowed 13 I guess. Not really sure who made up that rule.” He scowls.

“So what exactly have you done in the past 1500 years to be on your last regeneration?” Harry’s awed, absolutely in shock over what Louis’ telling him and well over Louis in general.  

“Oh, well I’m not just the last Time Lord. I’m The Doctor.” He shrugs nonchalantly but he says it like it’s supposed to be a big deal.

“The Doctor? Doctor Who? I thought you were called Louis?”

Louis beams just like he did when Harry stepped into the TARDIS and said how it’s bigger on the inside. He smiles with nostalgia, sorrow, and loss in his eyes.

“Well, after a while a smart girl I once met wiped me from all of history so none of my enemies remembered who I was. Then later when I switched from my 12th regeneration to this one I figured I should just stay low; try to live without getting into all the predicaments I used to. “

He doesn’t seem too happy about that.” You don’t seem too happy about that.” Harry points out.

“I can’t say I am but what can ya do. I usual don’t like to stay in one place for too long so I just travel around now a days. ” He shrugs again, looks over Harry’s shoulder and leaps over him making him fall back onto the couch with Louis practically straddling his middle.

“Oh my god, you know a _ginger_? I knew a few gingers back in the day.” Louis’ picked up the picture frame that was on the little side table that is of Harry, Liam and their friend Ed before Ed flew off to Mars to try life out there.

“Yea, that’s my mate Ed.”

“I need to meet him.” Louis looks down at Harry, blue eyes wild.

“Er, he’s on Mars at the moment.” Harry’s finding it a little hard to breathe and whether or not it’s because Louis’ on his lungs or because Harry would much rather this view in a different situation he doesn’t know.

“Oh my god. The Ginger on the Red Planet. Brillant!” Louis sets the frame down and jumps off of Harry and runs back into the garage. Harry can hear Louis locking down the door behind him.

He laughs a little too loud at his excitement towards Ed’s hair while simultaneously trying to not think about how Louis was just straddling him.

+

Harry doesn’t see Louis for about 3 hours after their conversation and when he does it’s half his face through the door to tell him that he was heading over to Zayn’s.

Louis nodded and closed door with,” I won’t burn the flat down don’t worry!”

It wasn’t that reassuring.

When Harry arrives at Zayn’s Liam answers the door in nothing but bright blue shirts. There are bruises and lovebites all over his torso and arms, bursts of blues and purples across his pale skin.

Harry walks in, rolling his eyes not even going to acknowledge it.

“Where’s Zayn?” He asks.

“Bathroom. Want anything to drink?” Liam asks.

“No thanks.” Harry takes off his jacket and sits on the couch.

Zayn’s flat isn’t much different from Harry and Liam’s, it’s a little smaller being a one bedroom but it’s set up the same.

You walk in through a small hallway that leads to the spacious living room, there’s a wall with a window cut like a breakfast bar type thing that separates it the kitchen. The dining room is right off the living room, nothing but wall trimming separating the two. The last is the hallway off of the living room that leads to the bedroom (bedrooms in Harry’s case), bathroom, and garage.

This being Zayn’s flat there’s art work all over the walls, from top to bottom. Pictures of old Van Gogh paintings, Da Vinici, even original pieces that he’s done. There’s potted greenery scattered in all the corners of the almost every room, a small herb garden on the windowsill in the kitchen even.

Even the color schemes shout Zayn: crèmes, maroons, and the occasional black accessory.   

“How’s your new roommate?” Liam falls next to Harry on the couch, clicking on the flat screen TV.

“He’s strange, different for sure. That’s why I’m here actually. To pass information along to Zayn.”

As if on cue Zayn comes walking in: grey sweats, loose white tee, and a grey beanie pulled over his head. At least he has the decency to wear actual clothes.

“Hey.” Zayn nods.

“Hey. So I asked Louis.” Harry gets straight to the point. He doesn’t want to be long anyways in case Louis actually does burn down the flat.

Liam scoots to the edge of the couch, throws his arm along the top so Zayn can tuck himself into his side. Zayn lights a cigarette and breathes out little O’s into the air.

“And?” He prompts.

“Well, basically he’s called The Doctor but now goes by Louis?” He starts, easy enough. Or so he thought because Zayn drops his cigarette and then curses himself as it burns a faint hole in his white shirt.

“ _The Doctor_.” Zayn says, tone awed, surprised and a little knowing.

“Yea? Is that important? Why is that important?” Harry rushes.

“Okay, wait what else did he you tell you?” Zayn picks up his cigarette relighting it, so the end glows orange like a setting a sun.

“Well, he’s the last of the Time Lords. Something about a Time War. Oh, he regenerates? Like he can cheat death but this one is his last? Don’t really know what that entails or means.” Harry shrugs but continues,” He doesn’t really like to stay in one place for too long- like you said before. His ship is called a TARDIS but he calls her Sexy.” He breathes, looks to Zayn to gauge his reaction.

“Wow. I thought it was him when we figured he was a Time Lord but I didn’t really- Wow.” Zayn runs the hand that isn’t holding the cigarette through his hair and down over his face.

Harry looks to Liam who looks just as confused as he is, nothing really new when Zayn’s in the room.

“You thought he was who exactly?” Harry quirks a brow, so high it ends up hidden behind his curls.

“The Doctor. The last of the Time Lords.” Zayn says all dramatic like he’s some TV show narrator.

“Um.” Harry says because why is everyone saying it like it’s important or a curse. If Niall were here Harry’s sure he would make some reference to some Potter guy and a Voldemort.  

Zayn shakes his head, eyes downcast so his lashes brush against his cheeks. Then all of a sudden he opens them so wide they look as if they could fall out, he tilts his head back and looks to Liam who’s already looking at him. They have a silent conversation with their eyes before Zayn’s cool persona comes back and Liam goes back to watching some who about Batson the telly.

“Just, don’t get too attached. Okay?” He takes the last drag of his cigarette dying it out in the little moon ashtray that one of the guys from work had gotten him after their first anniversary of being in the division. When he says it though it’s like he’s holding something back, like there’s more to it.

Harry rolls his eyes,” Really?” He snaps.

Liam butts in then,” You know he’s right Harry, you know how you are. And if how you two were acting on and off the ship means anything I know you probably already want in his pants or something. You said it yourself that he said he doesn’t stay in one place for too long right? Just try to think of him as a guest and not a friend.”

“Not everyone thinks of sex 24/7 Liam, unlike you two. You’re like fucking rabbits.” Harry gets up, straightens his shirt,” I gotta go. I have to make sure Louis didn’t burn the flat down.” He grumbles.

Liam and Zayn mutter their goodbyes with concerned eyes and if they think that Harry can’t hear them whispering when he shuts the door then they’re wrong.

It’s just. He knows that they’re right to an extent; Knows that Liam knows him best, especially when it comes to him and relationships. He knows that Zayn has a point about not getting attached especially since Louis specifically said he usually doesn’t like to stay in one place for too long, but Harry can’t help it if he’s already growing fond of the stupid comments and mini-heart attacks that the Time Lord gives him.

He shakes his head to himself, he’s known Louis for the shortest amount of time and he’s already getting attached and it’s stupid but that’s Harry for you. The minute he met Liam in grade 3 he clung to him like a sloth and every friend he gained and lost in his life since.

So, yea maybe they do have a point but maybe Harry doesn’t care.

+

“Lou?” Harry walks in the flat, shoving his keys in his pocket.

The flat is very quiet, almost too quiet.

“Louis?” He calls again.

There’s a muffled curse and then Louis is falling out of the hall closet, coats and umbrellas falling on and around him.

“Um, what are you doing? Why were you in the closet?” He bites the inside of his cheek so hard he can taste blood. He covers his mouth, trying even harder not to laugh.

“I was looking for the shampoo.” Louis pouts, looking up at Harry with big blue eyes that sparkle like the Big Dipper.

“In the coat closet? That’s nowhere near the bathroom?” Harry does laugh then, a soft giggle that escapes his mouth that has Louis glaring at him, Big Dipper eyes turning into the spear of the Centaurus constellation.

“Could you maybe just help me up for once and not make fun of me.” Louis rolls his eyes, stumbling to his feet and stomping off towards the kitchen.

“Bathroom’s the other way.” Harry calls, more giggles spilling out of his mouth.

“Shut it!” Louis shouts as he turns around and heads toward the bathroom.

Harry bursts into a loud laugh when Louis is out of sight, keels over and clutches his stomach because of the force of it. It’s not even that funny, it’s more so the fact that Louis was looking for shampoo in a coat closet. Harry shakes his head, walking over to the mess on the floor to start picking it up.

When he’s hanging the last coat back up he hears a shuffle of feet and then there’s a tap on his shoulder.

He turns around to come face to face with an almost naked Louis. He tries, he really does to not let his eyes roam but he can’t help himself from scanning Louis’ torso all the way down to his towel covered bottom. His chest is toned and muscular with inked script along his collarbones ‘ _it is what is it’_ it says and Harry wants to bite a lick along the cursive letters. His eyes fall to right above Louis’ towel where there’s a little circle with other circles and lines going through it inked as well. (There’s the obvious constellation of tattoos on his forearm and the ‘ _far away’_ on his bicep too.)

Louis clears his throat, annoyance clear in his voice when he says,” Well if you’re down drooling over me I would like to ask your help on turning on the shower. I tried but the knob fell off.” He then pulls one of his hands out from behind his back and drops the little circle knob onto the floor.

“You do know that you just press the button right? The knob is just for show.”

“Ughh!” Louis yells, storming back off to the bathroom (in the right direction this time),” Could you just help me for god’s sake.”

Harry rolls his eyes for the millionth time that day and follows Louis down the hall to the bathroom. The towel is falling impossibly low on Louis’ hips and the curve and dip of his back that leads to his bum is absolutely sinful.

“Stop staring at my bum.” Louis says once they’re inside the bathroom.

“I wasn’t.” Harry lies as he goes up to the glass panel near the shower. He presses the button turning on the water and then highers the temperature.

“Is that good?” He asks motioning for Louis to feel the water.

He leans over, towel dipping lower lower lower on his hips,” Yes, thank you.” He nods.

Harry wouldn’t usually ask something this forward but it’s been bugging him since Zayn mentioned Louis had two hearts, his eyes travel down to the front of Louis’ towel then back up to his eyes. His eyebrow is arched, hands folded across his chest like he’s just waiting for him to ask,” Do you only have two hearts or do you have two of…. anything else?”

Louis smirks then flicks the side of the towel that’s tucked in. The towel pools around his feet leaving him fully exposed.

“Alright I get it.” Harry says averting his eyes and walking out the door trying, and failing, not to trip over his own feet.

He hears Louis scoff (but it sounds a little more like a laugh) as he shuts the bathroom door.

“Well, only one penis.” He sighs to himself actually a little disappointed.

He needs to get his priorities straight.

+

It’s been a month since Louis temporarily moved in with Harry but the more time that passes and the more time he spends with Louis the more Harry maybe doesn’t want it to end.

“How’s the ship coming?” Harry will ask.

“It’s coming along.” He’ll say, nodding his head and avoiding Harry’s eyes like it’s a secret he absolutely has to keep to himself.

Sometimes when Harry leaves in the morning for work Louis will look up to him with something in his eyes, something almost like longing, something that’s a little heavier, something that screams loss, and sadness.

Sometimes Harry will want to kiss the top of his feathery hair and tell him it’ll be alright even if he doesn’t really know exactly what’s making Louis feel that way.

Right now though, as Harry leaves to head over to Niall’s, Louis is curled on the couch in his favorite pair of sweats the he knicked from Harry that first week. They’re grey and have to be rolled up about 3 times so they don’t drag over the floor but they pull tight around his arse and thighs.

He’s curled in on himself, TV on but he’s not watching just staring blankly at the screen as some villain steals the diamond from the bank. Harry can’t see his eyes exactly just his profile that the setting sun illuminates from the balcony doors, making his cheekbones look like cupid’s golden arrow, his lips the heart at the end and his eyes the sparkle when it hits its target. Except when Louis turns to look at Harry the sparkle isn’t there, instead of Cupid’s spark they’re like Poseidon’s stormed seas.

“Sure you don’t wanna come with me?” Harry asks voice soft and careful like he could break Louis if he talks to loud.

“Yea, ‘m sure. Thanks though.” He whispers,” Think I might nap a little.”

“Alright.” Harry reaches for the doorknob,” I’ll be back in a bit. Call if you need anything.”

“See ya.”

“See ya.”

 

When Harry gets to Niall’s he grabs a beer from the fridge, a slice of pizza from the box on the counter and plops right down next to Niall on the couch.

Niall turns to look at him as he practically shoves the pizza down his throat,” Whoa, man don’t choke now.”

Harry rolls his eyes, swallows the bite he just took,” Believe me Niall I’ve had things farther down my throat I don’t think I’m gonna choke.”

Niall puts his hands up in defense,” Snappy. What’s gotten into you?”

“It’s Louis.” He rubs a hand over his face, then instantly regrets it because of the grease that covers it from the pizza. He looks to Niall with pleading eyes like he holds all the answers. He’s smiling, and of course he is because it’s fucking Niall that bastard knows everything even if he doesn’t say anything.

“Ahhhh.” He winks, and like what is that supposed to mean.

Harry just looks at him, brow creased and confused.

“What about Louis.” He asks, smile leaving his face.

“He has like, these moods? Okay so one day he’ll be fun and running around with that stupid sonic thing and give me about eight heart attacks because he’ll pop out of nowhere but then sometimes he sort of just shuts down? I’m not really sure how to explain it like he’ll get really quiet and zoned out. It’s not like him, at all.” Harry puts the rest of his pizza on the table in front of them, slumping against the couch defeated.

Leaning up and grabbing Harry’s piece of pizza, Niall slumps next to Harry and slurs around his bite,” Well do you think it’s about his ship?”

“I mean I guess it could be? I don’t know I have a feeling it’s more than that though.” 

They’re silent for a while, just staring at the match on the screen in front of them. Niall perks up when Derby scores a goal then turns to Harry,” I know exactly what Louis needs.”

Niall’s ideas aren’t usual the best so Harry is cautious and skeptical but he would do anything at the moment to get the spark back in Louis’ eyes. He nods, telling Niall to continue.

“Lads night!” He throws his arms above his head and beams,” Proper lads night out, the five of us.”

“Uhh, I don’t know. I’m not sure he’d be up to that.” Harry informs him.

“Well it can’t hurt to ask. Come on were due for one anyways.” Niall shoves his shoulder.

“Alright, alright. I’ll ask him tonight.”

Niall beams, takes a swig from his beer on the table and turns his attention back to the game.

 

That night when Harry gets home Louis is still in the same place on the couch, curled up in a ball sound asleep. Harry shakes his head fondly, a small smile on his lips as his heart butterflies in his chest.

He walks over sits by Louis’ little socked feet and tugs on his pant leg,” Lou.” He whispers.

“Hmph.” Louis mumbles.

“Come on, it’s late let’s get you into bed.” Harry says jostling Louis’ shoulder a bit.

When Louis doesn’t respond Harry picks him up bridal style like he’s done so many other times since that first night until now. Louis cuddles into his chest on instinct as Harry carries him, humming a soft tune.

Before he sets Louis down in Liam’s bed Louis clings to him, bunching up his fists in Harry’s shirt like he doesn’t want to let go of him but then he’s sighing and loosening his grip when Harry tucks him into bed.

Harry presses a soft kiss to Louis’ forehead before heading out and into the kitchen. He looks around him for any sort of mess he may have to clean up but there’s nothing, the counters are clear and spotless. He sighs goes over to the fruit bowl, grabs a banana and starts to unpeel it.

He takes a bite, thinks about the boy who’s sleeping down the hall.

Louis is wonderful; he’s smart, clever, and hilarious. He can make Harry laugh in a heartbeat; he can go from being light and funny to being sarcastic in a spilt second. Sure he’s a little clueless when it comes to normal household things like opening the fridge door or taking a shower but he’s learning and he smiles all crinkly eyed when Harry helps him.

That’s the thing though; Louis smiles at Harry like he’s the first star he’s ever seen (maybe Harry stares back that way too, just maybe)  but then his smile breaks into a frown like he’s realised Harry is unattainable but in reality he’s there, an arm’s length away.

Taking the last bite of his banana Harry throws the peel in the trash before turning out the lights and heading into his room to lie down.

Yet when he’s in his bed and staring up at the clouded sky all he can think about is the look in Louis’ eyes when he left earlier that day. It’s driving him mad but he doesn’t have it in him to ask. His eyes start to get heavier and heavier as he thinks more and more about the enigma in the next room over.

When his chest starts to ache and his eyes fall shut he starts to think that maybe Niall was right and they could both need a night out after all.

+

As Harry blinks away sleep from his eyes he hears a sweet raspy voice filter through the air and dance around his head. He would like to imagine that if this were a cartoon there would be musical notes floating in the air, winding and getting tangled in his curly hair and flossing through his ears.

It’s a sweet tune something about the stars and how they align when you’re with someone special.

The longer Harry lays there and the more sleep he blinks away does he finally realise that its Louis singing the melody floating around the house. His voice is sweet like candyfloss flowing from note to note with such grace it’s like an angel playing the strings of a harp.

Harry looks over to his clock on his bedside table that blinks a blurry 7:20 am at him in red numbers.

“Ughh.” He gurgles into the side of his arm. Reluctantly he gets up, pulling clothes out of his dresser he heads to the bathroom; Louis’ sweet voice still drifting through the flat.

After having a quick shower and getting dressed he walks out of the bathroom, steam rolling out after him, and walks down the hall to the kitchen to find a sparkly eyed Louis sitting on the counter eating a bowl of cereal.

His fringe is damp over his eyes like he just took a shower as well. He’s in black basketball shorts and one of Harry’s band tees that he barely wears anymore but it still hands low and baggy on Louis’ small frame.

“Mornin’.” He chirps.

It’s moments like these that confuse Harry the most because just yesterday Louis was down in the dumps, covered in mud moody but today it’s like he’s drenched in the aura of the sun, smiling so bright it’s nearly blinding.

“Morning.” Harry walks over to the cupboard to grab a mug and when his wrist brushes against the feathery tips of Louis’ crown it tickles in the best way, makes him want to kiss Louis’ face all over, call out from work and cuddle him until they both fall back to sleep with the sun on their faces.

His face screws when the thought passes through his brain but quickly relaxes when Louis turns and looks at him all soft edges and high cheekbones in the morning atmosphere; soft sunlight filtering through the small window, the quiet humming of cars passing by in the street, a random chirp from the birds that fly by.

“What were you singing this morning?” Harry asks, turning to make a cup of coffee.

Louis turns an adorable shade of baby pink from the tips of his ears to the apples of his cheeks,” Something I heard a long long time ago. I don’t know I just woke up and it was stuck in my head.” He shrugs, slurps some milk from his bowl.

“You have a wonderful voice.” Harry compliments.

Louis looks down, a shy smile pulling his lips into a soft curve,” Thanks.”

Harry looks at him in complete awe. This is the most vulnerable and small Louis has ever looked in front of him since they’ve met.

“You’re welcome.” Harry whispers not wanting to break the fragile air that’s settled around them.

Once the kettle start to whistle breaking through their silence Louis jumps down off the counter, puts his bowl in the sink and walks past Harry, grabbing and squeezing his hip a moment before letting go and calling from the garage door,” Have a nice day at work!”

 

He’s barely been in work for a minute, not even fully in the door before Liam is at his side practically dragging him down the hall.

“Payne, what’s gotten into you?” He asks, trying to keep up without tripping over or scuffing his new boots.

“Dr. Tennant and Niall have the results back from LWT-21.” He says eyes wide with excitement.

 _Oh._ “Oh.” He says, surprise and excitement etching its way onto his face. His grin is stretched like silly puddy between his ears before they’re even close to the conference room.

“We’ve been waiting for you all morning to go over it.” Liam tells him, letting go of his arm that he had in a death grip.

“How long have you guys been here? It’s only like 8:30. And I’m not late soo.” Harry drawls out.

“Dr. Tennant sent us an email around about 5 didn’t you get it?” He asks sliding his ID card through the slot on the door making it slide up so they’re in their division instead of the main part of the building.

Harry shakes his head, brow furrowed,” I didn’t check; Didn’t even get a notification.” He says taping his armband (nifty little gadgets with buttons and screens on them that let you communicate with anyone else who has one via email, call, voiceover anything really.)

“Ahh, well then you should really get that checked out; Bring it to one of the tech guys.” Liam says sliding his ID card one more time to go into the conference room where Niall, Zayn and Dr. Tennant are sitting.

The conference room isn’t very welcoming with its white sterile walls, plane circular table and huge projector machine installed on the top of the wall just above the door.  

“Nice of you to finally join us Styles.” Dr. Tennant says all faux disappointment and anger.

“Sorry.” Harry says, voice low enough to sound ashamed but eyes bright enough to show he’s just playing along.

“He was probably just distracted this morning anyways.” Niall waggles his eyebrows, blue eyes so bright they’re like a dancing flame.   

 _Oh this should be great_ , Harry thinks. He rolls his eyes,” And why would I be distracted?”

“Because of your Louis; Your precious little Time Lord; Your Doctor.” Niall mock-swoons, clutching is shirt over where his nonexistent heart is.

“First of all,” Harry starts pointing at Niall,” He’s not _my_ anything. Second of all there’s no reason why I would be distracted by him.”

Niall barks out the laughter he was holding in (well if his bright red face has anything to tell),” Yea and that’s why yesterday when you came over and told me you were worried about him it looked like your heart was breaking in half.”

Zayn and Liam share a clear look of concern before asking at the same time,” You’re worried about Louis? Why?”

It’s quite disgusting how they’re able to do that Harry thinks briefly before folding his arms over the table and letting his head fall on them, curls falling all over the place as he shakes his head a chant of _nonono_ thumping through his head.

Niall’s still laughing, Zayn and Liam are still whispering and shooting worried looks in Harry’s direction and Harry still has his head down before Dr. Tennant slams both of his hands, palm side down, onto the table silencing them all and making Harry lift up his head.

“Now that I’ve got your attention.” He starts a little aggravated,” Can we talk about Harry’s love life after Niall and I share the results with you?” His patience is running thin, Harry can tell (and he totally ignores the flutter in his stomach as Dr. Tennant connects _Louis_ with _Harry’s love life._

“Sorry boss.” They all mutter.

“Right.” Dr. Tennant claps his hands together, turning the projector on so a picture of the LWT-21’s surface is covering the wall opposite the door.

Him and Niall go through all the slides with pictures and results alike scattered throughout them. The pictures they got are actually really good might make it into the catalogue eventually. But what’s really exciting is that there’s a 98% chance that Humans can inhabit this planet which was their goal in the first place.

“So boys,” Tennant turns around, clicking to the last side that has a picture of them all on the day they took off arms linked behind one another (Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry) and says,” Congratulations on investigating one of the most promising planets that we’ve come across.”

They all stand up with face-splitting grins on and huddle into a little group hug. Dr. Tennant laughs from behind them, a low chuckle that vibrates through the room just echoing with how proud he is of them. He comes over and joins the hug somehow getting them all between his two arms and squeezing.

His armband beeps a clear signal that he’s needed somewhere else at the moment so he breaks apart says his goodbye and how he’s proud of them and that they’ll be getting a bonus for their excellent work sometime soon.

“Wow.” Liam breaths eyes s crinkling at the corners because of how hard he’s still smiling.

They all mirror him with smiles of their own, sharing glances as they sit back down at the table more relaxed this time. Harry fiddles with his ring on his left hand sliding it up and down and spinning it because he knows exactly what’s coming now.

“Soo,” Liam’s eyes are downcast like he really doesn’t want to do this but he has no choice,” Why’re you worried about Louis?”

Harry scrubs a hand over his face,” He just gets into these moods is all.” He shrugs his shoulder sending a d quick death glare at Niall who’s picking at the bed of nails from across from him.

“What kind of moods?” Zayn asks, looking over to Liam. They always have matching looks of worry when it comes to Harry and it gets on Harry’s nerves to no end; especially when it comes to his ‘love life’.

Harry really should be worried because he knows that Zayn still knows something that he’s keeping back about Time Lords or the Doctor ( _Louis)_ but he just can’t be because Louis has been nothing but a doll who maybe burns things a little more often than not, or can’t really cook for himself, gets into little staring battles with the cat clock in the kitchen but he’s wonderful and funny and jesus he has two hearts that he could love Harry double with. Well if the chance ever came up, not that Harry wants Louis to love him. It’s complicated at the moment, okay?

All Harry is absolutely sure of is that: 1) Louis is a Time Lord, specifically this Doctor guy 2) He’s on his last regeneration, whatever that means and 3) That he’s leaving when he’s finished fixing his ship and if that makes Harry’s heart pull in a not so pleasant way then he’s going to ignore it.

“Well, he’ll just be really happy and smiley one day and then the next he’s just down in the dumps and pretty much sleeps the day away. Then the next day he’ll be back to normal.” He shrugs showing nonchalance but really he thinks he’s more worried than both Liam and Zayn combined.

“Have you asked him about it?” Liam sarcastically says, like it’s the most obvious thing Harry should have done before worrying himself to death.

“No.” Harry snaps back,” What if it’s something he doesn’t like to talk about? I don’t want him to be mad at me.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to try though.” Niall adds.

Harry shoots him another death glare,” Yea we wouldn’t even be talking about this if it weren’t for you.”

“Sorry man, I just thought it’d be funny I didn’t think you would be this hurt over it.”

“Well.” Harry deflates.

Niall claps and rubs his hands together like he’s come up with the best idea yet,” Lads Night!!! I’m telling you Louis will love it. Come on Harry, it’ll be fun. You could use a night out too.” He repeats the same idea from the night before.  

Harry spends a moment to think it over, imagines how Louis will act when he’s out or drunk. A small smile forms on his face before he’s looking up and nodding his head,” Alright.”

“Tonight then!” Niall shouts.

“We have work tomorrow Ni.” Liam points out.

“Nope, Dr. T gave us tomorrow off so we could have a long weekend to celebrate.” He smiles a toothy grin, the light reflecting off his too white teeth.

Everyone’s quiet for a moment, glancing around the table and Niall makes sure he’s looked at them all once with a smirk on his face before shouting again,” Lads night!!”

+

After Harry gets home and they eat dinner he tells Louis that they’re having a lads night tomorrow with the boys he literally jumps with joy. Harry as to hold in a giggle because when Louis jumps his shirt rides up making his little tummy peak out, his feet flick like they’re twinkling with fairy dust and when he lifts his arms it’s like he’s that Peter Pan guy that Niall mentions sometimes.

“You okay with this then?” Harry says pulling out two bowls from the cupboard.

“Of course, I haven’t gone out like that in such a long time. I think the last time I was drunk was when I invented the banana daiquiri a few hundred years early and that was quite some time ago.” Louis walks over from the freezer and leans against the counter handing Harry the ice cream with that same look of nostalgia he always has in his eyes when he talks about things like this.

Harry scoops out their ice cream, big rounds of mint chocolate chip for Louis and cookie dough for himself, and figures if he’s ever going to find out anything about Louis and what he’s done in the past 1500 years he might as well start to ask.

“Could I ask you something?” He questions, handing Louis the ice cream containers to put back in the freezer.

“Sure.”

They grab their bowls and head into the living room where they both curl up on the couch with a throw blanket draped over their knees. Harry clicks on the TV just so it’s not sitting on a black screen and mutes it. But before he does Louis grabs the remote and clicks it to a different channel changing it from ‘The Weakest Link’ to some cooking show with a disgusted look on his face

“You told me earlier, when you explained all the Time Lord stuff that you were in, er, a lot of predicaments? Like what exactly though? Obviously some worse than others if you almost died like 13 times because this is your last regeneration.” Harry shoves some ice cream into his mouth so he can stop spitting word vomit out.

Louis nods his head licking a speck of green from the corner of his mouth,” I was waiting for you to ask something like this.” He stops to take a bite of his ice cream before continuing,” I told you before that I was the Doctor but I didn’t really tell you why that was so important and I bet you Zayn knows why but he didn’t tell you, yes?”

Harry nods, chewing a little ball of cookie dough.

“I don’t’ want you to think that I’m full of myself or anything alright? Just I’ve saved a lot of people including you lot countless times. I’ve fought against some of the most disgusting creatures out there. I have a lot of enemies, or well I used too they all forgot about me now though. I’ve fell off the face of the universe, quite literally. But now like always, every single time, I always end up in London.” He tries to scowl in disgust but his face ends up contorting into a fond smile.

“So you were like the good guy?”  Harry asks interest etched into his features: green eyes wide, mouth slurping off ice cream from his spoon quickly so he can scoop more up and eyebrows high up on his forehead.

“Not really. Some people don’t see it that way but I guess in the simplest terms you could sort of say that.”

Harry’s not sure if he’s pushing it because Louis’ already told a lot, probably more than he actually wanted to but the fact he didn’t storm off to his ship and sat here with Harry eating copious amounts of ice cream and told him more about himself says a lot, so when Harry asks his next question he’s not sure what to expect.

“Zayn told me that you usually travel with someone? Like a companion or something?” He looks down into his ice cream now melted into soup, stirring it anxiously.

He doesn’t look up but Harry can tell that Louis wasn’t really expecting that question with how he hasn’t moved the second it left Harry’s lips. His hand is frozen in mid air drops of the green ice cream dripping off the spoon and into the bowl, a stray drop landing on Louis’ pants.

“You don’t have to answer I was just curious. Zayn mentioned it once but of course he’s the vaguest person ever and always tells me I should ask you because he feels wrong telling me anything he knows.” Harry sighs, getting up off the couch to go put his bowl in the sink.

Louis is still frozen in his place his only movement being the fluttering of his eyes.

Harry rinses out his bowl of the remnants of ice cream before turning off the water and leaning against the counter. He rubs both hands over his face before realising he’s probably just made things a little awkward between him and Louis.

But then Louis is walking into the kitchen with a blank expression putting his own bowl into the sink and rinsing it lightly before sitting down at the table. He folds in on himself lifting his legs so their bent against his chest with his arms wrapped around them, hands clasped in front like a lock so they don’t slip from their place. He rests his chin on his knees before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath.

“I do, or well I did.” Louis opens his eyes and looks at Harry. His eyes are sad, so very sad Harry can almost feel it in the air. It’s the same look he gets when he’s in one of his ‘moods’ and Harry didn’t realise how heartbreaking it actually is until now. Louis looks so breakable and vulnerable in this moment it’s like he’s made of porcelain.

“I have a sort of track record if I’m honest.” He laughs but it sounds hollow,” I used to land somewhere usually on accident, sometimes with a purpose. Someone would be curious of what I was doing, why I had two hearts, or why some strange guy landed in their garden in a blue box and they would follow me and then one way or another they would end up coming with me; without a second’s hesitation most of the time. They would come with me and leave everything behind plan to stay with me forever even. But see that’s the thing, they all thought that until something happened and they either ended up leaving or had no choice in never seeing me again for their own good.” His voice starts to shake.

“When they first come along its all fun and games showing them the universe at all different times and in so many different place so many points to chose from, almost an infinite amount. But then their life is threatened and they start to really see how it is but they still stay until they can’t any longer. I remember this one time so long ago someone told me that I made them into soldiers because so many of them came together at one point just to help me, risking their lives to. In the end it’s just better off to be alone even if I don’t really like to be. But I would rather be alone than put the people I care about in danger. That’s why I stopped doing what I’ve always done. I ended up losing so many people that I cared about and having two hearts just makes it hurt more.” His eyes are glassy, on the verge of tears.

Harry’s speechless to say the least. He wasn’t expecting that from such a simple question but then again even when he asked he felt like it was loaded with something he couldn’t explain.

“Well.” Louis gets up, unfolding himself from the chair,” Now that this has gotten strange I’m gonna go to sleep. Goodnight.” He walks off down the hall and Harry can hear faint sniffles from his place in the kitchen.

He stays there for a while just leaning against the counter and letting what Louis said sink in. It’s horrible to feel alone and even though Harry’s not felt it himself per se he wouldn’t wish that on anyone. He wipes at his teared up eyes and walks down to his room stopping in front of Liam’s (basically, Louis’ now) door. He almost goes in to comfort Louis somehow, cuddle him and make him not feel alone but he stops himself. Shakes his head and continues to his own bedroom.

Just like any other night when Harry is laying in bed he looks up at the sky with its twinkling stars and wishes for something. Tonight he wishes that Louis finds someone he can be with forever so he doesn’t ever have to be alone again.

+

When Harry wakes up there’s a pressure on his chest and something tickling his chin. He’s about to jolt up but just before he can there’s a gripping on his waist and a content sigh coming from the thing on his chest.

“Lou?” He whispers voice hoarse from sleep.

“Sleep.” Is all he says cuddling even closer into Harry’s side and gripping his hip like it’s his life line.

Harry doesn’t say anything after that just wraps an arm around Louis and presses a soft kiss to the crown of his head and closes his eyes.

+

“Yea lads night!” Niall yells as him, Zayn and Liam walk into the flat.

Harry rolls his eyes fondly as he checks his hair one last time in the hallway mirror and of course as if it’s his duty Liam comes over and ruffles it making it a total disaster.

“Li _am_.” Harry whines.

Liam laughs as he looks over the living room,” I’ve missed this place more than I thought I would.” He mutters almost like he was only saying it to himself. Then he looks to Zayn with a shy smile and Zayn’s cheeks start to blush a pretty pink.

There’s something going on there Harry’s sure but that’s for another time.

“So where’s Louis?” Zayn asks.

“In the-“ Harry starts but then Louis walks into the living room with a devilish smirk on his face.

“’M right here.” His eyebrows raise up and down one time when him and Harry’s eyes meet causing Harry to blush. They haven’t really talked about last night the whole speech nor Louis climbing into Harry’s bed but Louis’ been so happy today that Harry didn’t care to bring it up as long as Louis was smiling.

While the other boys say their hello’s to Louis Harry just sort of creepily stares at him because of how sinful he looks. He’s in the simplest outfit: tight black jeans that hug his legs and hips in all the right places, a white scoop neck that frames his ‘ _it is what is it’_ tattoo on his chest. The sleeves hug perfectly on his biceps making them flex when he moves to move a piece of hair out of his eyes.

“Mate.” Niall whispers and nudges Harry’s elbow with his own,” You’re staring pretty hard.”

Harry shakes his head, face heating up and turns to Niall who has an all too knowing smile on his face,” Oh shut up.” He says.

“Right, well should be get going?” Zayn announces to the group.

“Yea, who’s car?” Harry asks.

“Let’s take mine.” Louis says.

They all share a confused look,” But you don’t have a car.” Liam says.

“Ahh, but I do and she’s called the TARDIS and I’ve fixed her.” His smile is so bright he looks like the son of Apollo.

“Did you really?!” Zayn eyes turn a bright purple for one second before turning back to their brown-hazel color.

Harry smiles so wide his cheeks start to hurt. He’s filled with joy because Louis’ finally fixed his ship but there’s this little voice in the back of his mind that’s shouting ‘ _no, he’s gonna leave! you don’t want him to leave.’_ For tonight he decides he’s going to ignore that.

“Well come on then boys.” Louis turns around and leads the way to the garage.

When Liam, Zayn, and Niall all see the ship when it’s not this shimmering blob of shapes their mouths drop but then when they go inside and see how it’s so much bigger they nearly explode. Zayn’s eyes are so purple it’s unbelievable.

“I’ve never seen his eyes that purple before.” Harry leans over to Liam.

“You should see them when he comes.” He sighs like he’s thinking about it.

“Too much Li, too much.”  Harry pats his back and walks over to Louis who’s standing around the circular control panel.

“Wanna help me fly her?” He looks up to Harry, eyes impossibly blue with joy.

“Thought she didn’t like me?” Harry beams.

“Eh, I think she’s changed her mind.” Louis pats a part of the controls that is bare and she whistles almost like a confirmation.

Louis stares at Harry for moment, eyes still shining like crystals and a smirk still on his face but for a split second Harry thinks that instead of seeing mirth on Louis’ face he sees a look of adoration, but when he blinks it’s gone.

“Ready boys!” Louis asks pulling a lever on his right. Sexy starts to hum and the long tube that runs along the center of the whole ship starts to move up and down with a green glow and when Harry looks up to watch the center glow green he notices symbols across the top, circles within circles and lines going through them just like Louis’ tattoo on his hip.  

“Shouldn’t we like buckle up?” Niall side eyes everyone.

“Just hold on!” Louis yells voice manic,” Harry push that button and pull that rod there.” Louis instructs.

Harry does and Sexy hums even louder and the other three start to hold onto the railing near the door with their life.

When Harry looks over to Louis he’s glowing. His smile is so big and genuine that Harry can’t help but smile himself, like it’s contagious.

After about 3 minutes they land with a thud and a happy Louis prancing out of the ship. He leaves the door open for them to follow but they don’t instead they all stand there to catch their breath.

“Umm, no one gave him an address?” Zayn points out.

They all share a frightened look before running out of the ship and nearly getting the four of their bums caught in the door to see where they ended up.

There are aliens and people alike milling about and paying no mind to the four human boys with their mouths hanging open. Most of them Harry has never even seen in books before let alone with his own eyes, never could have imagined this many different species walking around on the same ground.

There’s a hand on his shoulder then offering a small comforting squeeze and when he turns around Louis is there behind him with a dazzling smile and sparkling eyes.

“Well boys, what do ya think?” He chirps, opens his arms wide like wings and spins around as if to take everything in.

“Wow.” They all breathe at the same time.

“Where are we?” Zayn asks and Harry’s starting to think his eyes are never going to go back to their normal color. 

“This is the wonderful planet of Sectaro.” Louis lifts his hands one more time, palms facing up as if to say ‘look at it’.

A thing walks up to Niall suddenly, all fur and snout on his face and starts to honk almost and before they can ask Louis what it’s saying it starts to sound more and more like English and then they realise they’re being asked if they would like a drink, which would be easily figured out since this thing is holding a tray that has glasses with bright purple liquid in it.

They all nod, taking a glass and clanking them before taking a sip. It’s bitter for a moment and then turns sugary sweet.

“How did we just understand that?” Zayn asks taking another sip of the drink.

“Well the TARDIS sort of wires into your brain and translates all the languages into English. It’s very handy.”

Zayn nods, eyes finally dimming to just a light violet.

Louis starts to walk off so they all follow behind him; he stops abruptly after about a minute and turns. He ends up inches away from Harry’s face and backs away before saying,” One rule okay? Don’t wonder off.” He says it with a stern face but Harry can see the glint in his eye like he _wants_ one of them to, like a challenge.

Nodding, they all continue to follow Louis until they end up inside a big circus like tent. There are little stands set up throughout the place with different aliens throughout selling things, making food, telling fortunes even.

“Is this like an alien-carni?” Niall asks sliding up next to Harry.

“I guess you could say that.” Louis shrugs and walks off towards a purple tent with chimes hanging from it.

“So, um, what are we supposed to do?” Liam looks to them all one eyebrow quirked up.

“I guess walk around.” Niall shrugs.

“He said not to wander off though.” Liam points out.

“True but something tells me he didn’t mean it.” Harry adds.

There’s group shrug before Harry is walking towards Louis and the other three are walking towards the other direction.

“Hey.” Harry greets bouncing on his feet.

“Oh, hey, where are the other three?” Louis looks over Harry’s shoulder standing on his tiptoes just so see over him.

“Oh they went the other way.”

Louis looks like he’s going to say something for a moment before grabbing Harry’s hand, intertwining their fingers and dragging him down the narrow space between the tents and leading him in front of a pale yellow tent the sign reads _Star Readings_ and has an intricate picture of a rose drawn on it.

Harry plants his feet in front of the smaller tent inside this larger one and doesn’t move just stares mindlessly at the sign. Louis tugs on his hand, “Come love, what’s wrong?” He asks voice soft and very very close to Harry’s ear.

“What’s a Star Reading?”

“’M not sure either but let’s find out?” Louis tugs and the roots in Harry’s shoes loosen their hold making him walk inside the tent.

It smells like flowers when they first walk in but the further they wake forward it just smells sweet like the smells of fall pies and apple cider. There are dream catchers hanging all around in different colors and sizes, chimes dangling and lightly tinkling when someone on the outside of the tent bumps into it making a lovely melody.

They stop in front of a table that’s covered in gold and maroon trimmed cloth with a lantern light in the middle.

“Well hello.” A sweet feminine voice comes.

The chair behind the table turns around to reveal a petite brunette girl with intricate tattoos lining her face, gold, blue, and maroon glitter making them sparkle against the faint glow from the lantern. Her eyes are almost reptilian when she blinks having black slits instead of round pupils with deep greenish blue irises around them.

Her tattoos run down the whole left side of her body when she stands up, revealing her height. She’s smaller then Louis by at least two heads and so thin she looks like a toothpick. Her gold and maroon shirt is cropped and tight around her chest and belly; her bright blue pants almost parachuted out with their puffiness. If it weren’t for her eyes or the fact that she doesn’t seem to have a bellybutton Harry would say she looks relatively like a human.

“’M Stella. I’m assuming you would like your stars read?” She asks voice so light it almost sounds like it’s just floating away.

Harry glances down to Louis and then at their hands which are still interlocked,” What exactly does that mean?” He wonders meeting Stella’s literal glowing eyes. They’re still their deep teal like color but now Harry can see flecks of gold which seem to be actually glowing.

“Sit, sit and I’ll explain.” The more she talks the more Harry can hear a slight accent to her voice, it’s like a mix of English and Australian he thinks.

After they’ve sat down Stella looks them both over and then grabs two tall, thick candles from the short table next to her. She places a dull grey candle in front of Louis and then a bright green one in front of Harry. She looks from Harry to Louis and then back again before grabbing two smaller candles and placing then between the two bigger ones; One’s a very very pale pink while the other is an orangey peach color.

“Right so as you two probably know everyone is made of stardust and star stuff from millions of years ago. Some star far off exploded and helped to make each of you. So a star reading reads into what star, not the exact one but close enough, made you and how it’s affected you and your relationships with other people.” She fumbles in her seat, seeming to fold her legs under herself but not in a normal way. Instead of tucking her ankles under one another lifts them over her calves like she’s meditating.

“Then what are the candles for?” One of Louis’ legs is twitching violently, moving up and down like a nervous tick as he stares the baby pink candle down like he’s willing it to explode.

Stella smirks a wicked grin before replying,” I think you know, that’s why you’re so nervous.”

Harry turns to Louis who looks a little green, his face is neutral no expression was so ever but Harry can see faint lines of worry forming on his forehead and his adam’s apple is bobbing uncontrollably.

“Now if I may see your right,” She points to Louis,” and your left hands please.” She points to Harry.  

They finally unlink their hands and lift them to rest on the table.

“Palms up.” She chirps, they turn their hands over.

She takes a manicured pointer finger and starts to run her nail along the lines on Harry’s palm and as she starts to mumble some language that even the TARDIS seems to not recognize because it’s not translating the green candle starts to dance with flames. She does the same to Louis’ and the flame on his candle dances so high Harry’s scared the tent might be in danger.

“Now if you two will please cross your arms over one other, Louis’ over Harry’s.” She instructs.

The moment Louis bird tattoo touches Harry’s ‘Thing I Can’t’ tattoo the two little candles light up, glowing with the red flame.

“Whoa.” Harry says once all four candles are lit,” So what does that mean? What does that have to do with the stars?” Harry says eagerly.

“Well this green one here, your candle, means that you’re from a young star. Probably one that died too soon or was sucked up into another maybe in a binary set when one was in the process of dying. The grey symbolizes age of the person and the star. Louis’ star was burning billions of years ago when yours was only millions.” She takes a breath, then looks to Louis like she’s’ challenging him.

“What about the two in the middle?” Harry wonders.

“They represent the strongest emotions or components of you and Louis’ relationship. Whether either of you know it now or not. This peach on here means protection, confidence, and communication which means that even though your stars were maybe only existent with each other for a short time that they were connected whether it within the same solar system or the same galaxy.  This little pink one over here means one’s true-.” She’s cut off by a loud, shrill scream.

“Well that’s my cue, nice talking to ya!” Louis yells as he quickly flips his hand over onto Harry’s and pulls him out of his seat and into the narrow alleyway outside of the tent.  

“What was that?” Harry asks not sure if he’s regarding to the reading or the scream.

Louis looks panicked maybe even a little scared and if the grip he has on Harry’s hand is saying anything it’s that he wasn’t expecting this to happen. He turns into Harry unlacing their hands and cupping both his cheeks, his eyes are glassy and sad just like when he’s upset and Harry doesn’t know what to do. (Harry thinks that he sees a little fear in there too, pure horror but he chooses to ignore it.)

“Listen to me.” He whispers and it’s hard to hear because there’s people screaming and running around them but it’s like their frozen in their own little bubble in front of this odd little tent,” Find the other’s and go back to the ship okay. Here take this.” He pulls out a string with a key on the end of it from his pocket,” It’s for the TARDIS she’ll open right up to you okay. The minute you said to pull instead of push the doors open she put you on the good list.” He smiles a sad little smile and turns his head to look behind him a moment before looking back into Harry’s eyes,” If I’m not back within 15 minutes of you guys getting there just say ‘emergency protocol 4’ and she’ll take you back home. There lock her up and throw away the key.”

Harry’s speechless and scared. His heart rate has picked up volumes since Louis grabbed his face and now he’s scared he’ll never see him again.

“I’m not leaving you.” He whispers, sweet wisps of words floating out of his mouth.

Louis closes his eyes in a long blink before looking over to the tent and smiles again, this time maybe with a little hope like he’s remembering something Stella said (or didn’t get to say),” I should’ve known.” He laughs a short thing before its cut off by another blood curdling scream.

Before Harry can ask, Louis leans up and kisses him. A sweet press of lips before he’s pulling back with the sadness back in his eyes

“Go on, then.” He uncups Harry’s cheeks, turns him around and pushes him towards where they left the other three earlier and starts running in the other direction sonic out and pointing in every direction.

Harry blinks away his shock and starts to run to find the others coincidentally slamming into Niall right where they saw each other last near the chime tent.

“Mate what’s going on, where’s Louis?” Niall yells.

“He’s coming don’t worry. Come on though he said to get back to the ship.”

So they do they run the short distance to the ship and Harry opens her quickly with the key before closing the doors behind him and checking his watch which magically still works on a different planet somewhere far from Earth. _11:02_

“What do you do we now?” Zayn asks, leaning over to catch his breath.

“We wait.” Harry says walking over to the controls, running his fingers along the buttons and levels alike.

“Mate I don’t know what it was back there but it was this thing that looked like a giant lizard and they had weird guns, I don’t think waiting is the best option.” Liam jabs.

“I’m not leaving Louis and I’m not telling you guys how to start the ship either so we’re waiting until he gets back. Whether it be 5 minutes of 5 hours I am not leaving him here is that clear?”

The other three look to each other and nod sitting on the steps that lead up to some other part of the ship.

Harry rakes through his brain and tries to figure out something he can do to help Louis. Tries to think of anything he might of told him that would be useful here but there’s nothing because Louis doesn’t like to talk that much about his past and Harry didn’t ask because he didn’t want to lose Louis and now look where he is it’s 11:10 and he’s on some planet he’s never even heard of before with the possibility of never seeing Louis again.

His brain is like an explosion of questions and answers that aren’t helping. There’s a voice that sounds so much like Louis’ shouting at him to just go and leave him behind but then there’s that same voice but softer that’s pleading for him to wait and not to leave him here alone.

He waits until 11:17 and looks up at the doors which stay closed. He closes his eyes and let’s a tear slip through.

“Harry it’s been almost 20 minutes.” Liam comes up behind him a hand on his shoulder.

“I know I know Li. Just a few more minutes and then I’ll get us out of here.” His voice is all over the place and cracking as he says it. Liam squeezes his shoulder and goes back to sit next to Zayn who places his head on Liam’s shoulder.

 

Harry stretches the time out to an hour before the boys are begging him with scared eyes to _just please take us home_. He holds back tears and clears his throat. He doesn’t want to leave Louis behind, doesn’t want him to be alone considering everything he told him the other night.

“Harry.” Niall whispers.

As Harry’s about to open his mouth and command protocol 4 to start the door’s burst open and Louis stumbles in with black soot marks all over him, his hair is swirled like a cinnamon bun and there’s a few scraps on his arms and on his cheek but when he looks up at Harry his eyes are glowing like a million suns.

“Well I’ve certainly missed doing that.” He points his sonic behind him to close the doors while walking towards Harry and pulls him into a hug, a silent _thanks for waiting_ smile on his face as he pulls back.

“Ready to head home boys?” Louis asks as he snakes his arm around Harry’s waist.

They all nod eagerly and when Louis pulls the level that makes Sexy whistle Harry can hear Niall mumble, “Weirdest lads night ever.”

+

No one really mentions anything from That Night after they leave Harry’s flat afterwards which means that Louis and Harry don’t mention the Star Reading and what Stella didn’t finish saying or the kiss and the  sadness in Louis’ eyes before he ran off to fight whatever was on the other side of that tent (which Harry realises was pretty large considering.)

Nothing happens between them again until about a month later when they have a real lads night out, and sure even if in between That Night and this one Louis and Harry share a bed more often than not and tease each other even more and maybe touch every chance they get they don’t discuss what it could mean.

So a month later, in the present, Harry and his boys (including Louis because he was inducted into the ‘the boys’ group the second week he lived with Harry) are out at some grungy London club where people are dancing and spilling every drink they can all over each other and the dance floor.

Harry is pleasantly drunk at the moment. Sitting in the booth they got earlier drinking his Hitro Tonic and watching as Niall pulls some bird with deep brown hair and watches Zayn whisper things into Liam’s ear to make him blush furiously. He looks for Louis but doesn’t seem him anywhere in the crowd wonders if he’s in the bathroom or maybe got picked up by someone. Harry’s not too sure about Time Lords and their sexual needs but he imagines it’s all the same but then there’s a weight dropping into his lap and sharp teeth digging into the side of his neck making his thought process stop.

His hands automatically go to Louis’ waist and squeeze lightly,pulling him closer.

“Hey.” Louis looks up and presses his forehead against Harry’s. He smells like mint and flowers mixed together. Bittersweet. He’s impossibly close in every way. His lips inches from Harry’s and chest almost flush against his own and wow does Harry really want to kiss him again.

“Hi.” Harry giggles.

“Wanna head home?” Louis pulls away and looks deep into Harry’s eyes, almost looking into his soul but Harry’s drunk and he’s not a poet so he’s just going to ignore the butterflies in his stomach that are going crazy at the idea.

Harry nods so quickly he almost gives himself whiplash as he and Louis get out of the booth and link hands walking towards the dance floor to the tell the other boys they’re leaving. Niall waggles his eyebrows when he sees their hands but Zayn and Liam smile and of course their even worried when their drunk but Harry really doesn’t care about their worried glances anymore.

When the cool night air hits them it’s like coming up from being under water. The club was so stuffy and hot compared to the cool and open air outside. They stumble down the street deciding to walk the 2 blocks rather than haul a cab.

Not only is Harry tripping over his own feet but he’s tripping over Louis’ too because he’s right there connected to Harry’s hip and nuzzling into his neck. Kissing every so often and nipping to leave a mark. He hums when Harry makes a choked off groan just before the flat because Louis bites considerably hard.

Finally when they’re inside Harry pushes Louis up against the wall, kicking the door shut with his foot and attacks his neck, kissing and biting all the way up and until he’s at his jaw and ends up hovering over his lips.

He smirks and squeezes Louis’ hips with both his hands, almost large enough to fit all the way around.

“Well are you gonna kiss me or just smirk?” Louis teases.

Harry thinks for a minute (for dramatic effect) but then he leans in and kisses Louis, sweet and slow like honey. Louis clings to Harry with his hands gripping his shoulders trying to get more leverage so Harry moves his hands to Louis’ lower back before sliding them down to his arse and hooking them behind his thighs and lifting him up.

Louis yelps at that, a little shocked sound that accidentally leaves his lips and starts to kiss Harry with much more fervor.

Leading them towards his bedroom is something Harry would like to do with grace but he can barely walk himself down the hall without tripping over himself so with Louis’ added weight and the fact he’s not really looking where he’s going he stumbles right into his bedroom just making it to the bed before falling not so graciously on top of Louis.

There’s a moment of silence before they both start laughing, Harry into Louis’ neck and Louis into the side of his arm. When they stop Louis grabs Harry’s face in his hands and brings them back to eye level. He kisses Harry  with sweet little pecks one right after another before hooking his feet behind Harry’s back and pulling him so their flush together.

And oh Louis is hard against Harry’s thigh and moaning into his ear when he presses down grinding against him. That’s when Harry realises that they’re wearing way too many clothes and starts to take off his shirt and then practically tears Louis’ off his body.

He peppers kisses all over his torso and stomach before unbuttoning his jeans and slides them down his thighs and off his legs.

“Harry.” Louis moans from under him.

Harry smirks before mouthing over his cock making the already slightly damp fabric worse.

“Take your pants off.” Louis commands and starts to shimmy up the bed so he’s resting against the pillows.

The moon is bright above them and shines through Harry’s star-window which makes Louis glow in silver. It makes the cut of his cheekbones and collarbones sharper and eyes sparkle like Harry’s never seen them sparkle before.

He throws his pants somewhere behind him and climbs up on top of Louis lining up their hips like before and grinding down making Louis scratch down Harry’s back. Harry kisses Louis hard then and continues to move in circles over him.

Louis pulls away panting,” Harry, can you..” He starts but stops a little blush rising on his cheeks like he’s embarrassed.

“What do you want?” He whispers against Louis’ ear making him squirm.

“Your mouth.” He blurts out and then clamps his lips shut like he didn’t mean to say that out loud.

Harry smiles against Louis neck and kisses him, chaste, before kissing down his body once more and pulling his boxers off and throwing them somewhere off the bed. He pumps him a few times and kisses the inside of Louis’ thighs, biting once to leave a mark and then he takes him down.

He sucks the head and licks over the slit making Louis go mad, moaning and squirming as Harry takes him deeper, deeper, deeper before he’s hitting the back of Harry’s throat and coming with a shout of his name.

Harry sucks him through it, lazy up and down motions until Louis’ whining at the sensitivity. Then he’s being pulled up and Louis’ kissing him long and deep before Harry starts to rub against Louis’ hip. Louis seems to remember now that Harry’s hard as well and asks him to lay on his back.

He obeys and lays so Louis’ above him nothing but the moon and stars outlining his small frame. His hair is sticking out in so many directions it looks ridiculous but somehow at the same time absolutely gorgeous.

Louis ducks down to kiss him again while working at the hem of Harry’s boxers to slide them down his long legs. He kisses down him sucking harder in certain areas to make Harry squirm and bruise.

“Spread your legs love?” Louis asks and Harry’s not really sure where this is going but when Louis is in between his legs and kissing around his thighs until he’s right there and starts to lick around his hole. Harry mewls because this is one of his favorite things ever and starts to squirm when Louis starts to point his tongue.

“Oh my god.” Harry’s knuckles are white in the bed sheets and every time Louis goes a little deeper he moans a little louder and he really doesn’t think it can get any better but then Louis sneaks one finger in to get just that much deeper and starts thrusting it in time with his tongue and Harry is coming within seconds, shouting curses and Louis’ name.

Louis kisses back up Harry’s body before he’s in front of him and kisses him until he’s even more breathless than he already was then he falls back onto the bed and pulls the covers over them, snuggling into Harry’s side.

“Sleep.” Is all he says and Harry can tell by the evening out of his breathe that he’s asleep not even 10 minutes later.

Just before he falls asleep he starts to wonder if this was a good idea or not, wonders if this will change their friendship in any way but then he thinks better of it because nothing changed (badly, at least) after the kiss they had on That Night so instead of worrying he looks up at the stars. Wishless for the first night in probably his whole life and drifts off to sleep.

+

It’s not that Harry didn’t think Louis was going to stay with him forever but he didn’t really think he would leave so soon after they took a step forward (or maybe it was back) in their friendship.

The morning after they went to the club nothing was awkward they both woke up with dopey smiles and kissed each other at breakfast, laughed over the girl on the telly with the really weird voice and even weirder outfit. If Harry’s honest it seemed like nothing really changed, like them getting each other off had no affect on their friendship as a whole.

But now almost two weeks later when Harry wakes up it’s like he can feel it in the air, the sorrow, the dread, and maybe a little guilt.

First off Louis isn’t there when he wakes up and he always is, has been for the last month almost and even if he’s the first to wake up he always waits for Harry to get up.

Secondly the fire alarm is blaring its awful song from the kitchen, making Harry bolt down the hall to help shut it off.

Thirdly, it’s when he finds Louis sitting on the floor against the counter with his knees drawn up to his chest and his face in his hands.

“Lou?” Harry walks over, the patter of his feet being the only noise in the house and kneels in front of him.

“Louis?” He tries again placing a large hand on Louis’ small shoulder. Louis lifts his head and Harry can almost feel his heart break inside his chest. There’s dried tear tracks running down Louis’ cheeks and his eyes are red rimmed and puffy.

“Aww, Lou c’mere.” Harry drags Louis closer and lets him cuddle into his neck but he’s there for a few seconds before pulling away, sniffling and wiping at his eyes.

“Harry.” His voice breaks and that’s the moment that Harry realises that Louis’ leaving,” I’m sorry.” Is what he says next and then he’s getting up to his feet and walking towards the garage.

Harry follows, of course he does because he’s starting to think he would follow Louis into the most dangerous of situations and maybe that’s exactly what Louis was talking about earlier about how every single person that’s went with him in that blue box of his has always ended up not caring for their own life and even risking it for Louis, for _The Doctor._

Louis is leaning with his back against the TARDIS and arms crossed over his chest, face downcast when Harry walks in.

“Are you sure you have to leave?” He pleads.

“It’d be for the best.” Louis says but his words hold no conviction.

Harry’s heart is sinking in his stomach and not in the rollercoaster adrenaline sort of way in the very very sad ‘I didn’t win the goldfish’ sort of way.

He steps closer until they’re mere inches away from each other,” Is it because we..” He trails off dragging his feet over the cold pavement of the garage floor.

Louis lifts his chin so he’s looking up to his eyes,” No.” He says sternly,” No, it has nothing to do with you alright and I don’t want you to think it does. Understand?” He drops his hand as Harry nods.

“Good. Now give me a cuddle so I don’t start crying again.” He tries for light and funny but his voice ends up cracking so he just pulls Harry in and squeezes tight.

Harry returns the hug, squeezing so tight he thinks he might break Louis in half. He whispers,” What will you do though?”

Louis laughs and pulls back, nostalgia bursting through his eyes like it’s not the first time he’s being asked this,” Oh you know, same old, same old. Last of the Time Lords, might go to Rio though, heard it’s nice there this time of the year.”

Harry tries to laugh but it sounds more like a sob,” But what year exactly.”

It looks like there’s something he wants to say like it’s on the tip of his tongue but he decides better on it and say instead, “I knew I always liked you.” His voice is soft and fond and so sad Harry’s heart drops even lower.

He knows he probably won’t but he can’t find it him not to ask him to come back. He just needs to tell him so there’s always that invitation,” You could always come back and visit if you want.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Louis whispers then he leans up and kisses Harry’s cheek,” Bye Harry.”

“Bye Louis.” Harry watches him step into the magical blue box, watches him shut the door behind him, watches it shimmer away with the sound of the universe and for a brief moment he’s waiting for him to come back and ask him to go with him but it doesn’t come so Harry just goes back to bed and when he looks up at the sky it’s daylight so he has no stars to wish on.

 

**_part iv._ **

Harry manages to call out of work for 3 days straight, avoid any calls or texts from the other boys before Liam is storming over to the flat walking right in as Harry sits down on the couch with his second pint of ice cream and in 2 day old pajamas.

“Jesus Harry,” He starts voice relieved;” You had us thinking you were dead.”

“Might as well be.” He mumbles, shoving some strawberry ice cream into his mouth. He briefly wonders if he keeps eating ice cream it’ll numb his insides primarily his heart so it can stop hurting. He’s usually not this dramatic but he didn’t even feel this bad after his first breakup over a relationship that lasted for almost 2 years.

“Don’t say that.” Liam sits down next to him and throws an arm around the back of the couch,” Come one what’s happened?” He stops for a minute then looks around probably notices how it’s so quiet and how Harry’s sitting on the couch _alone_ eating ice cream.

“Oh, Harry.” He tugs him in by the shoulders so he can cuddle him.

Harry starts to cry, little trickles of escaped tears streaming down his face and broken little sobs escaping his lips,” He left.” He chokes out.

“It’ll be alright.” Liam rubs his shoulder.

Harry isn’t even up for arguing with Liam about how it is clearly _not_ alright that Louis is gone because Harry hasn’t gone to work for 3 days, has been ignoring everyone and hasn’t showered in about 2 days.

Liam’s supposed to be his bestfriend but he gives really shit advice and is quiet horrible in these kinds of situations. For example the next thing that comes out of his mouth is,” I know what would cheer you up.”

“Please don’t say it.” Harry begs, curls nearly hiding the pleading look in his eyes.

Liam grins and his eyes crinkle,” Lads night!”

Harry thinks if he hears the term ‘Lads night’ one more time he’s going to throw himself off a building.

He groans,” I really don’t want to.” He says, leaning away from Liam’s embrace.

“Come on, Friday me you and the lads. You’ll only have two days of work so it’ll be easy.”

Harry really doesn’t want to go,” Fine but I make no promises of staying the whole time.”

Liam seems to think about that a moment before nodding his head,” Deal.”

 

The next two days drag out impossibly slow because all Harry can think about is either how he’s going to go home to an empty flat or how he’s going out on Friday without a short, fluffy haired and sparkly eyed Time Lord next to him.

His first day back was full of sympathetic smiles from Zayn and Niall and apparently anyone who caught wind of Harry’s little not-romance as he’s calling it. Niall hugs him a little longer than he usually does and when he sees Dr. Tennant all he says is,” It’ll pass kid. I’m sorry just take it easy for a while yea?”

And that’s the thing; Harry really doesn’t think it’s going to pass because he’s had boyfriends before and after each time they broke up, no matter how bad or mutual it was, he never felt this horrible after it has never let it affect his work or how he acted towards his friends. He would be upset and a little on edge but he wouldn’t hole up in his flat eating ice cream and ignoring the world for about 3 days.

So that day he just catches up on the work he’s missed, goes to the two classes he needs to so he’s up-to-date with everything then goes home, heats up some left overs, watches some obvious season finale of two lovers who end up getting separated into two different universes. He cries like a baby because even though Louis isn’t in another universe is sure as hell feels like it.

The second day just has Harry dreading when work ends because of what’s going to happen tonight and if the other three’s constant reminders aren’t enough then the mental ticking clock in his head is.

After work when he’s at his flat he thinks he hears a noise in the garage almost like a whistle and goes running, flinging open the door expecting to see Louis there with a coy smile and a _miss me?_ kiss but instead all he sees is spiderwebs and old kitchen gadgets he doesn’t use anymore.

He sighs, walking back into his bedroom to finish getting ready when he sees a pair of grey joggers that Louis used to love and almost has a breakdown. Thankfully when the boys show up he’s out in the living room and the redness has already faded from his eyes.

“Ready!” Niall yells, barely letting Harry get up himself and drags him out of the house with the other two right behind them.

They end up at some club that they’ve been to a few times not enough to know it well but enough to know the type of people that will show up.

It’s almost like they’re mocking Harry because it’s almost like everywhere he looks someone is reminding him of Louis with either their hips (but no one’s are as perfect as Louis) or the way someone’s hair is fluffed up (but not as great as Louis’). He’s really starting to think he has a problem.

He’s about ready to leave when Niall bumps into his side and yells about them going to McDonald’s and that does bring a smile to his face because at least he knows that one thing won’t ever change, that stupid McDonald’s with its white tile floors and soda fountain that has almost every non-alcoholic drink possible.

Niall is completely gone from all the beers and tonics he’s drank so Harry has to help him walk over to Liam and Zayn to tell them to come on.

They’re in a cab and at the McDonald’s in no less than 15 minutes and then they’re sitting down and starting to devour their food in no less than 5. Harry isn’t even drunk, maybe a little tipsy if that but he does scarf down a large fry and a vanilla milkshake.

The others keep eyeing him making sure not to bring up anything about Louis or something that will remind him of him and he catches it once when Niall is about to mention something that happened when they went to Sectaro and not so obviously cuts himself off.

“You guys can talk about him you know.” Harry picks at a fry dipping it in honey mustard before popping it in his mouth,” It’s not like he’s dead. Besides I don’t think he would want us to stop talking about him.” A smile forms on his lips because he could just picture Louis sitting right next to him right now stealing his fries and saying _sure don’t, I’m the life of the universe._

Almost like they can see Harry thinking about him Liam and Zayn cut in like parents about to scold a child but less harsh.

“We’re sorry.” They say simultaneously.

Harry looks up to them confused,” Why?”

“We told you not to get attached to him and not become his friend basically but if you didn’t then the last two-three months would’ve been pretty boring.” Zayn admits.

“Yea but you also told me not to get attached because he doesn’t stay in one place for too long and now look where we are.” He drops the rest of his fries on the tray which Niall greedily starts to pick at and gets up.

“I think I’m gonna head home.”

Liam and Zayn look like they have more to say but he really doesn’t want to hear it at the moment so he just says his goodbye, pats Niall on the back and tells him to make sure he doesn’t throw up from the food and walks out.

The minute he stats walking he knows exactly where he’s going to end up and it’s not his flat.

 

When he gets to the hill, which he ended up taking a cab to after 10 minutes of walking because he’d realised it was like 30 miles away, he lays on the grass and he looks up.

He looks at every constellation he finds, names every star he can manage. It’s nice being up here. It’s almost like he’s away from all his problems but then again it’s like his problem is floating up there in the sky flying from star to star, planet to planet, time to time, looking down at him and shaking his head.

Over the past few days since Louis’ left Harry’s wondered about how it would be to travel with him. How wonderful it would be to travel through time and space with someone who means so much to you that you don’t want to live without them because if it wasn’t clear Harry doesn’t want to live without Louis; is starting to think that maybe he can’t.

He checks his armband that he just noticed he forgot to take off before he left and checks the time _2:48 am._ He’s pretty sure there’s supposed to be a meteor shower tonight so he waits.

He waits until he sees the first one zip through the sky and wishes that Louis comes back or that _someone_ could just tell Harry that he’ll be coming back sometime soon.

 

“Hey. Hey, wake up.” A voice says and is poking something very sharply into Harry’s shoulder.

He panics a moment and thinks he’s about to be killed but thinks better on it because why would someone wake him up to kill him? He blames is on heartbreak.   

When he opens his eyes there’s two very teal reptile ones staring back at him.

Even though he’s lying on the ground he tries to scoot back into it willing it to open up and swallow around him because what the fuck is Stella doing here.

“What the.” He starts.

“I’m answering your wish now come on sit up.” She beckons.

“Um.” He reluctantly sits up and rubs at his eyes, checks his armband for the time, _4:36 am._ He’s been asleep nearly two hours and now there’s this girl thing he met once on some far off planet sitting next to him.

“You wished for someone to tell you when Louis was coming back yes?” And Harry’s sure it almost sounds like she hisses at the end but he’s going to blame that on being half asleep.

He nods, still very confused.

“Well I’m here to answer that and well I’d say just give it like 6 months alright? Ball park answer but around there.” She smiles a sweet smile like she’s rooting for them.

“Thanks.” He says carefully still slightly confused but thankful all the same,” Um can I ask you something?”

She stands up then and he notices that she’s not wearing the same blue and gold clothes as before instead she’s in navy blue capris that look like they’re painted on her legs, a blue colored shirt that peaks over the large military like peacoat she has securely wrapped around her torso. Her tattoos are still there but there softer not as glittery which Harry realises now was probably makeup to make the whole Star Reader thing seem more interesting.

“Course.” She dusts off her pants.

“Umm, what did the pink candle mean? You never really got to finish.” He picks at the grass pulling it up from the roots and making a small pile.

“Ahh.” She nods her head in a big motion,” The pale pink candle. I never get to use that one often it was actually a surprise to myself when I grabbed it.” She doesn’t answer at first but then she grins down at him,” Pink means true love and or soulmate. Which you and Louis are both if you hadn’t figured it out.”

“Oh.” His lips are threatening to pull into the widest grin because he knew he felt something for Louis since they very beginning and he knew it was more than liking him but maybe not quite love. His face is almost just as pale pink as the candle because of how much he’s blushing.

She pats the top of his head, “Alright I’m off. Good luck.” She says and lifts her left arm up, pulling up the sleeve to reveal a similar armband to Harry’s. This might be the last time he sees her but he doesn’t want to be rude but then again he really wants to know, it’s the only other question he has for her.

“Wait before you go, um, I don’t wanna sound rude.” He swallows, she rolls her eyes like she gets this often,” But what are you?”

She laughs and it sounds like chimes,” Half impossible man and half Hydruiam.” She says proudly.

Harry looks at her confused.

“My mum was a Hydruiam which is where I get the eyes, tattoos, and star reading power from while my father was the man that couldn’t die. Captain Jack Harkness? Have you heard him?” She tilts her head her eyes twitching when she blinks.

Harry shakes his head.

“Oh well.” She shrugs her shoulders as her armband beeps and she presses the button,” Alright, calm it I’m coming now.”

She smiles to him one more time,” Have a good one Harry. See ya round.”

Then she punches in some code on her armband and shoots up into the sky with a white bright light trailing behind her.

Harry tries to fall back to sleep but he really can’t after what Stella said _pink means true love or soulmate and that’s what you and Louis are_ and how Louis will be back. She didn’t give an exact date but he thinks he could probably get Niall to figure it out, put his own power to good use for once.

He closes his eyes just to relax or try to because his skin is buzzing with something he can’t really put a name to but it’s coursing through his veins like it’s always been there but he’s just now noticing it.

A few minutes pass and then he hears someone huffing and puffing up the hill, the cold morning grass crunching beneath their feet. He freezes because this person could definitely be a killer.

The person comes and sits next to him, still trying to catch their breath from climbing the hill when he dares to look to his right where the person is sitting he’s surprised to see Liam there looking over to him with a shy smile.

“Hey.” He gets out once his breath is evened out and the sky is starting to get lighter.

“Hi.” Harry says with a dopey smile and he can’t even be upset that much anymore because there’s love coursing through his veins and a Time Lord up in the sky somewhere feeling the same way. (Or so he hopes.)

“What’s gotten into you?” Liam asks, pulling his legs to his chest and placing his crossed arms over his knees, looking out at the sky line that’s just starting to wake up.

“A little stardust, a little hope and maybe a little love.” He says cheesily.

“Oh.” Liam doesn’t look to him and he knows the conversation that’s about to happen but he really doesn’t care anymore.

It’s actually a surprise what Liam says next,” I’m happy for you.” He says and when Harry looks up to Liam’s early morning sun lit face he looks genuine.

“Oh, no ‘I told you so’ then.” Harry jabs and he tries for annoyed but the smile on his face fails him.

“No, I was thinking about it and you guys made each other so happy. It’s just me and Zayn looked up what we could about him and he’s always moving around and he’s had so many different people with him along the way, we just didn’t want you to be another one that he had and then left. And I was gonna say that I’m sorry he left but you seem uncharacteristically happy since the last time I saw you which was like not even 5 hours ago.” Liam points out.

Harry laughs so big it shakes his whole body and scrunches up his whole face,” I’m pretty sure if I told you half the stuff that makes me believe that Louis’ coming back you wouldn’t believe me. Plus he hasn’t left them sometimes he didn’t have a choice and sometimes he lost them.”

“Harry, I live with Zayn okay anything is believable until otherwise proven not.” Which is true Zayn never says something is untrue unless there is a solid fact against it and then you really have to argue for your life. He ignores the whole companion thing just nodding like he understands.

“Yea what’s up with you two anyways.” Harry sits up and crosses his legs, looking over the city that’s glowing in the soft morning light. He remembers that time in the flat on That Night and how Liam and Zayn looked at each other all soft because of what Liam said.

“Oh,” His faces blushes,” I was meaning to talk to you about that, but um we’re gonna move in together or well I’m gonna move in with him.” His eyes shine bright when the sun starts to peak over the horizon just that much more.

“Aww, Li. Congrats I’m happy for you.” Harry squeezes his knee.

“Thanks. Anyways we were talking about you, don’t change the subject tell me whatever you have to.”

Harry beams because Liam’s his best friend and maybe he’s rubbish at giving advice but he’s a heck of a listener.

So he does. He tells him everything from That Night, about Stella and her candles. He tells him about the night they went clubbing and him and Louis left but without the details. He tells him how Stella showed up just awhile ago because he wished someone would just tell him if Louis was ever going to come back. He whispers when he tells him what the pink candle means and why he’s so sure that Louis will definitely come back and how he’s going to ask Niall if he can maybe get a better timing on it.

“Wow.” Liam says when he’s finished explaining.

“Yup.” Harry nods. The sun is almost fully raisen now the orange glow lighting up the whole city.

After a moment it dawns on Harry that he’s never told Liam about the hill or where he was even going last night when he let.

“Uhh, Li how did you know I was up here?” He asks.

“Oh, I had Zayn track your armband.” He deadpans.

Harry rolls his eyes fondly as Liam gets up,” Come on I think that diner you like is opening soon I’ll buy you some pancakes or something.”

“Alright.” Harry nods, gets up and starts to walk behind Liam down the hill.

Before he gets into Liam’s car he looks up at the sky and smiles, willing Louis to somehow see him.

He gets in and they head off.(But what he doesn’t see is the sparkle in the sky just before he turned his head.)

+

Harry waits about two weeks to ask Niall, tries to actually prepare himself incase Niall can pinpoint the exact day.

It’s a stormy Saturday night when he asks him. They’re all over Harry’s flat sitting in the living room eating pizza from the boxes on the coffee table. Liam’s stuff is already all moved out, was about a week after they had their talk on the hill.

Liam’s of course already told Zayn what Harry told him and he doesn’t mind that, understands it. But when he finishes telling Niall and asking him about what he wants to try and do Niall seems shocked, in awe, happy and a little flattered.

“Harry I’m flattered and so so happy for you two. I knew before you ever thought.” He smiles.

“Of course you did, you Novian freak.” Harry shoves his shoulder lightly.

“Now, um I have been practicing a little bit more and I asked my Nan like more about it and everything and she told me that I really shouldn’t use it when it comes to love? Because it’s like one of the purest things to ever exist or something like that.” He tilts his head,” I’m sorry.”

Harry’s not going to lie he’s a little upset, maybe a lot,” It’s alright. But even if it’s just focused on one person?”

“I mean I guess I could try to just hone in on Louis and see when he’s near Earth again like in the future but I can’t if it’s you and him in the picture.”

“Okay, okay could you please?” Harry sits up straighter a hopeful smile etched across his face.

Niall nods and crosses his legs like Stella had done. None of them have ever seen Niall when he’s practicing or anything so this has them all on their toes watching closely.

He closes his eyes at first, for a few minutes and then when he opens them both of his eyes are a bright opaque cyan blue color that’s glowing, there isn’t an inch of white just all blue.

“Whoa.” Zayn whispers, his own eyes starting to twitch purple.

“Make you wish we had powers or something doesn’t it.” Liam mutters to Harry. He nods.

Niall doesn’t talk just sits there very still with his eyes glowing, it’s a little creepy after five minutes but then his eyes are snapping shut and opening back to their normal color. He has a dopey sort of smile on his face.

“Well?” Harry asks, bouncing in his place.

“Stella told you 6 months? Try 4.” He beams.

Harry leaps from his spot and tackles Niall to the floor and kisses his cheek sloppily,” Thank you. Thank you so much.” He says as he squeezes him.

“No problem man, but could ya move your knee is stabbing my bladder.” Niall mutters.

“Oh sorry.” Harry gets off and just smiles.

“Well then.” Liam starts,” Four months, what should we do to pass the time?”

+

Their lives actually end up getting better from then on.

They spend even more time together than they usually do, they go out to more calm ‘lad nights’ like bowling and picking the worst film in the cinema to watch that’s out rather than going out to clubs and getting wasted.

Because it’s a tradition they can never let up, one that they’ll keep until they’re all dead is going to the stupid McDonald’s which is way more important than it really should be. Harry thinks briefly that after whoever gets married first out of the five of them (Liam and Zayn) that just the five of them will end up at this stupid place and be late to the reception. They still go there after each thing they do, they don’t eat as much, well Niall does, and instead they just talk about work and squabble over the last small fry.

One week at work Dr. Tennant bursts into their conference room which they got after they went to LWT-21 and announces that they need to come up with a name for the planet and have it to him before the end of the day because it’s finally going public and getting catalogued.

It doesn’t take long for them to come up with a name considering it’s already named so they just agree on keeping it Pomple and go back to their very intense game of scrabble.

Later in that same week that they name the planet Dr. Tennant surprises them once more with a short division ceremony promoting them from Class-GY to Class-RY since they’ve finally been to a planet. It’s so exciting they nearly all cry afterwards, Niall coming pretty close when he gives a wonderful short speech.

As if Dr. Tennant can’t stop he calls them back on stage to announce that the four of them are going to be put in charge of planning the next trip to Pomple and will be able to pick the next group so they can study it some more, check the climate and plant changes since it’s been almost 5 months since they’re first trip there.

They’re completely overwhelmed when they head back to their office. They start to plan the expedition very carefully consider everything and make sure that no one will hijack their ship again. They end up choosing Josh, Sandy, Dan and Jon to go on the trip.

It takes them about 3 weeks to finalize the planning and hand it off to Dr. Tennant for last minute check overs. He says that it’s excellent and one of the best procedures he’s ever seen written by RY’s and is so proud he buys them a cake with pudding in the middle.

 

Liam and Zayn invite Harry and Naill over for a ‘family dinner’ is what they call it. It’s a surprise but not at the same time. They’ve been dating for so long they’ve become like the friend-parents you have that always look out for you and make sure you’ve ate that day or washed your hands after you use the bathroom.

So when Harry walks, in Niall right behind, him and sees Zayn sitting on the couch with something cradled in his arms his automatic thought is that they adopted a baby and didn’t tell them but as he walks closer he realises this baby as fur all over, big eyes and pointy ears.

“You guys got a puppy?” He questions eyeing the little ball of fur in Zayn’s arms.

“Yea we got her earlier. She’s a mini-husky.” On further inspection Harry can tell that the dog has two very bright gemstone blue eyes. She’s mostly white except for the light brown-black patches near her ears, front of her legs and on her tail.

Niall sits next to Zayn scratching behind the dogs ear,” What’did ya name her?” He whispers not wanting to wake the little thing up.

“[Luna](http://media.tumblr.com/8515ae062701e1b705a3db03d13626d8/tumblr_inline_mryb0caWvh1qz4rgp.jpg).” Liam walks in from the kitchen a tea towel draped over his shoulder,” Dinner’s done by the way.”

“Clever.” Harry tells them, walking over to pet Luna on the head.

Niall sighs,” I want a pet.”

They all shake their head and Zayn puts Luna in her little dog bed near the TV stand which she snuggles back up in, curling around herself and falling back to sleep.

While they eat dinner they talk about everything which is hard to say since they have all been living in each other’s pockets for almost the last 3 months. They laugh when Niall ends up shooting soda from his nose when Liam compares the meatballs to something that has Zayn blushing.

Harry laughs, looks at his armband and at the date. They all see him do it but no one really mentions how close their getting to the 4 month mark.

 

A few days later when Harry is out shopping for new clothes, properly treating himself with his bonus they got from their trip from months back he thinks he sees Louis. A quick movement on the other side of the street with fluffed up hair. He does a double take but shakes his head and continues into one of the shops.

When he’s checking out of the last shop he plans on going into he keeps seeing movement out of the corner of his eyes from outside of the shop window like someone is peaking just enough to see him but the smallest amount that they can pull back in case Harry sees them.

“Honey you alright?” The blonde asks from behind the counter, folding up his jumper and placing it in the bag. Her accent is thick posh London and her eyes are a soft blue. When he looks at her nametag the only thing there is the exact same drawing of a rose that he saw on Stella’s sign on Sectaro.

“Yea just been on edge all day.” He says as a reply.

There’s still the faint movement near the window and when she catches him looking she asks,” Is there someone out there?”

“Not sure.” He says and she hands him his change and his bag and waves him goodbye.

Outside when he looks over to the corner of the window where the movement was no one’s there but in the distance he hears a faint electronic wheezing sound that he only hears in his dreams these days. It brings a smile to his face and his heart speeds up.

 

Later that night when he goes over to Niall’s to watch the match together there’s a large bird cage in his living room.

“Niall there are birds in your living room.” He announces.

“Oh hey! Yea I got them like the day after we had that ‘family diner’.” He air quotes the words then walks over to the cage and points to the birds inside.

Harry walks over when Niall motions for him to and listens as he speaks in an excited voice,” This one,” He points to a brilliant blue colored one that goes from deep royal at his tail to a light powder blue almost white at its head,” Is [Neptune](http://media.tumblr.com/a7eeff353b90f742a3b21500031379b0/tumblr_inline_mryb1zBSq91qz4rgp.jpg) and this one,” He points to the second bird which is a firery red color with yellows and oranges faded between its wings,” Is [Venus](http://media.tumblr.com/8254ca20104cd823c0cd115ebb7d2235/tumblr_inline_mryb14U0JN1qz4rgp.jpg). I got Venus first and then ended up going back because I thought they would we lonely.”

“What kind of birds are they?”

“Parakeets! They’re so lovely.” Niall fawns staring as Neptune rubs her head against Venus’ back.

“Well I think I should get a pet and name it after something in the solar system now, keep the trend going?” He jokes.

Niall laughs and checks the birds’ food and water before sitting on the couch and flicking the telly on.

“Come on let’s watch the match. I’ve taught them to cheer on all the right teams.”

Harry shakes his head and rolls his eyes fondly sitting next to Niall on the couch.

Sure enough when Man U makes a goal the birds start chirping loudly.

 

+

It happens that next morning after his shower.

He’s in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal when there’s a loud crash from the garage and someone cursing very loudly.

His heart rate picks up as he drops his spoon on the floor and runs down the hall and pushes the door open and sure enough there’s a very beat up Louis and a smoking TARDIS in his garage.

Louis has soot and scratches all over him, his shirt and pants are torn and shredded in almost every place and he’s missing a shoe.

“Oh hi.” Louis says fumbling to his feet from his place on the ground but then one of his legs must give out because he’s losing his balance and about to fall again but Harry is right there with an arm around his waist.

“Thanks.” Louis shies.

Harry is speechless and so happy that Louis’ back but he’s injured really bad and the TARDIS is _smoking_ ,” What happened?” He asks helping Louis to his bedroom.

“Oh you know, Daleks and Cybermen never a good mix.” He falls onto the bed all of his energy drained from his body.

“Are you okay?” Harry hurries to ask but then Louis is turning over and his face is glowing yellow, actually glowing like light pouring out from his pores.

“Harry.” He says quickly,” I’m regenerating or well I don’t know what’s happening exactly because I don’t have any more left but I just need you to know that.” He chokes off a strangled noise.

The light get’s brighter and starts to expand from every limb,” Harry, I love you!” He tries to shout but it comes out more of a whisper and then the yellow light is so bright that Harry has to cover his eyes with his arms.

When the light dims and Harry looks over to Louis he still has the same face, same fluffy caramel hair and he’s sure he’d still have the same piercing blue eyes too if they would open.

“Lou.” He goes to his side grabbing his hand,” Lou come on wake up.” He can feel the tears coming.

“Please come on, please wake up.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket and dials Liam’s number. They’re all at work but he knows they can let Dr. Tennant let them off for this. He answers on the second ring,” Liam you guys need to come here Louis’ back but he’s just glowed like a sun and now he won’t wake up. Please come.” He begs, sobs racking through his body.

“We’re on our way.” Liam says.

He throws his phone on the other side of Louis and keeps asking him to wake up, tears sliding down his cheeks and into his mouth,” Please Louis.” He whispers,” I love you too. I love you so much please wake up.”

By the time the other boys get there Harry has tried everything he can get Louis to wake up but he just hasn’t. He’s just laying on the bed breathing, it’s almost like he’s sleeping but so much worse.

Harry explains what happened and the others listen and nod their heads asking questions when he’s finished.

“I don’t know what to do.” He finishes.

He can tell that Zayn is thinking trying to find something to help but he comes up blank,” I’m sorry Harry.” Is all he says and they can all tell that he’s mad at himself for not _knowing._

“I guess we just have to wait.” Liam says grabbing Harry’s shoulders, rubbing comforting circles into the tense muscles.  

“But what if he doesn’t wake up?” A tear slips over his nose and onto his and Louis’ interlocked hands.

“He will, mate, he’s strong. Come on don’t think like that.” Niall says from behind him.

They all take shifts watching over Louis. Harry doesn’t leave his side so it’s more like they’re watching over them both. They bring Harry food and makes sure that he drinks. When it’s nearly 1 am and Liam is walking in his room yawning with a sleepy Zayn and Niall behind him.

“Harry you have to get some rest. Please.” Liam begs.

He doesn’t even have the strength to argue so he just climbs under the covers next to Louis’ sleeping body, thanks the boys for coming over and asks Liam to lock the door on his way out.

+

It takes two days and about two million tears but Louis finally wakes up.

He wakes up sleepy and very weak.

“What do you need?” Harry asks first because Louis can barely talk but he croaks out one syllable.

“Tea.”

Harry jumps from the bed and makes him a cup so fast he almost burns his fingers off.

Louis take is greedily sipping it down until the cup is empty. He asks for 2 more cups and by the end of the third he’s sitting up in bed and his eyes seem back to normal filled with mirth and energy.

“Feeling better?” Harry shines and it’s like because Louis’ better Harry is too and that’s so cliché but it’s so true.

“So much. You’re a good little nurse.” He pats Harry’s cheek affectionately.

Harry bites his lips holding back a smile and so many questions.

He goes to open his mouth to start asking anything that comes to mind but Louis just leans in and kisses him, a sweet chaste thing that tastes like chocolate strawberries and too much tea.

“I missed you.” It ghosts over Harry’s lips and makes him shiver.

“I missed you too.” Harry can’t stop smiling.

It’s weird because Harry should be really upset and probably extremely furious with Louis for leaving him but he isn’t. He’s not going to let it go without an explanation of course but he’s not going to scream and shout at him either.

They don’t talk about the ‘I love you’ thing because Louis doesn’t mention it so Harry just figures he forgot he said it which makes his heart lurch in his chest but he’s just happy that his boy is awake and okay, or well he hopes he’s okay.

“You’re okay right? Not gonna pass out for multiple days again.” Harry questions trying to pass if off as a joke but he knows his face is clouded with actual concern.

Louis goes to answer but his stomach grumbles,” Oops I think all that tea made me hungry.”

Harry’s not sure how that works because if he drank that much tea he would have been pregnant by it but he just nods asks Louis what he would like and goes to kitchen to make it for him.

He comes back in the room with a plate full of strawberry jam covered toast and places it on Louis’ lap.

“Thanks love.” He chirps.

“Anything for you babe.” Harry chimes back.

After Louis eats he complains of feeling disgusting so he ends up in the shower and Harry ends up washing the sheets because there’s soot and dirt all over them. Harry sort of feels like Louis is avoiding the inevitable but he’ll give him time before he bombards him with questions.

He doesn’t get to ask him that afternoon or well into the evening because once he tells the boys that Louis is up and well they come storming over with hugs and of course Niall brings about 4 cases of beer.

They don’t’ get drunk just sip on them as the listen to Louis tell stories about what he did while he was gone. How he went to a planet that made of Diamond, and saw so many creatures that he hadn’t seen in so long.

“So what happened with the last one, when you ended up here?” Liam cocks his head curiously.

“Well, it’s a long story.” His leg starts to hop up and down, he’s nervous. Harry rubs at his shoulder with the hand that he has thrown behind him on the couch.

“Okay.” He takes a deep breath,” I was on Earth the year 1983 just walking around looking at the shops listening to some tunes when someone yells so of course I go over because it’s what I do and then I’m faced with a Cyberman - these basically robot like things but they’re humans who were stripped of all of their emotions- and behind him was a Dalek – creatures made from of pure hate and think they’re the only ones who should exist.  Were natural born enemies you could say, even though they don’t really remember. Anyways there were thousands of them roaming London at the time so I had to save you lot because it’s just what I do. You guys are like my children in a guardian sort of way. I did in the end just like every other time I have but just before the last Dalek was gone there laser beam they shoot from their eye hit me straight in the leg. I had just enough energy to make it here, keep conscious for a few minutes and then I passed out.” He finishes.

“But you glowed yellow before you passed out on the bed.” Harry tells him.

“Yea, see that’s what I’m not too sure of. See that happens when I’m about to regenerate but I don’t have any left so I’m gonna guess that I had just enough leftover regeneration energy to heal myself up.”  His smile reaches the corner of his eyes.

Zayn seems to be the only one who pieces it together because he’s looking back and forth between Harry and Louis like every thought he ever had about the two together as a couple was wrong.

“So does that mean?” Zayn prompts.

“Yup, I’m human. I still have my two hearts but I’ll start to age when my birthday passes just like you guys do. If I get hurt I’ll have to go see a medical doctor the whole nine yards.” He turns to Harry and look down at him eyes filled with so much happyniess.

And Harry finally gets it because that means he can stay here, practically has no choice but to or he’d be putting his last life on the line.

“What about the ship?” Niall takes a swig from his beer.

“Well she’s still running, will always keep working until the day I die. I looked at her this morning to make sure she also fixed herself up which she did. I’ll probably still take her around every so often for day trips but to more safe places like old concerts and probably to go grab milk or something.” He waves it off with his hand.

“So you’re staying?” Harry beams up at him, can’t stop the 100 watt smile that’s stretched across his face.

Louis laughs an angelic tune,” You have no idea do you?” He looks to the others, each one with a confused look on their face,” None of you figured it out?”

Even Zayn is speechless at that.

“I’m one of the cleverest beings to ever exist and you guys actually think that it took me from the time I got here to the time on Sectaro to fix my ship? I’m a Time Lord for God’s sake! It was fixed by the end of that first week but I stayed anyways.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal but it really is.

“So then why’d you leave?” Harry asks,” Why’d you wait all that time and then just up and leave?” His voice gets cold, hard.

“Alright boys time for us to leave.” Liam says pulling the other two to their feet and saluting Louis and Harry off before leaving.

When they hear the door click shut Harry gets up and walks into the kitchen with a frustrated sigh.

Louis follows behind him.

“Harry.” He says voice soft and raspy, it makes Harry melt but he doesn’t let it show.

“Did you leave because we ya know.” He makes a vague gesture with his hand.

“Harry no. I.” He stops himself and pulls out one of the chairs at the kitchen table, it screeches against the tile floor.

He puts his elbows on the table and his face in his hands rubbing up and down aggravated.

“Well.” Harry snips so aggravated his blood is boiling, he lied before when he said he wouldn’t get mad at Louis because he’s furious.

“ I left because I always lose people.” He grits through his teeth,” I told you that. And you act like it wasn’t just as bad for me. I didn’t _want_ to leave.” He drops his hands from his face.

“Then why did you, Louis.” Harry’s voice softens,” You don’t like to be alone so what made you think leaving someone alone was any better?”

“I didn’t think like that okay! I just thought it would be better. I was so scared, terrified that if I stayed around any longer that something horrible would happen to you and I wouldn’t be able to stop it. That I would either lose you or you would end up leaving me because you’d realise how dangerous it is to be around me. It’s all I could think about each passing day that one day I would lose you some way or another. That’s why I only took you on the ship that one time. Plus I could tell we were already getting really attached to one another and I didn’t want to make it any harder for either of us so I just left. I wanted to ask you to come with me that day. I wanted to ask you so bad my skin was itching with it but I couldn’t.” He stops a moment and looks up at Harry meeting his eyes. Harry thinks for a minute and realises if Louis really did think about that, losing him, so much that it would explain his ‘moods’.

“I do love you you know. I didn’t just say that, I just had to tell you at least once before whatever happened to me happened because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. “

Harry sits down next to him,” You always talk about how you lost so many people but you never say who.” He voice is gentle his blood calm beneath his veins now because Louis looks so broken.

“I don’t like to talk about it.” He picks at his hands.

Harry understands that,” But you have to start telling me about your past if were gonna make this work. It’ll help me understand you better.” He smiles reassuringly.

“That’s almost 1500 years of stuff Harold.” Louis laughs, a light sound that sounds like leaves falling from a tree.

“I could make the time.” Harry picks up one of Louis’ hands with his own and kisses the back of it.

Louis rolls his eyes,” You absolute sap.” But when Harry sees his eyes they say nothing but _thank you._

“Well come on then.” Louis stands and drags Harry to what is now _their_ bedroom and pushes him on the bed.

Harry waggles his eyebrows and smirks,” Oh no, we’re not. No it’s story time you want all the stories then we better start now because there are loads.” Louis explains as he takes off his shirt.

Harry pouts with his bottom lip quivering.

Rolling his eyes Louis crawls over and straddles Harry laps,” Oh fine just this once.” He says just before he kisses him.

(That night when Louis is riding Harry he rubs the pad of his thumb over the circle tattoo on Louis’ hipbone and squeezes. Louis’ going tortuously slow so Harry whispers,” What’s it mean?” breath hitching on the last word because Louis decides to swivel his hips and speed up. “It’s Galifrayen or Time Lord.” He says and then he slams down relatively hard and lets out a moan,” Means ‘it’s in the stars’, I’ve had it for forever. Quiet ironic – ah – isn’t it?” He speeds up even more and there’s more noises slipping through his lips. “A bit.” Harry gets out before he’s moaning out Louis’ name and coming.)

+

Over the next month or two Harry learns so much about Louis and his past that his head is filled with so many different things it could explode.

There are aliens and The Master, and Daleks _never die_ then there’s Rose and Donna and Clara and every companion form start to now, to Harry his last one that he’ll have. The night he tells him about them he tells Harry that he’s happy he’s found him last because he wouldn’t want to go on a day without him.

He mentions Captain Jack one night and Harry perks up,” Hey you know that’s Stella’s father?”

“Yea, I should’ve known when we first went into that tent but it didn’t click until I looked back at the sign.” Louis tells him.

“Wait so does the painting of the rose actually have to do with Rose?” Harry wonders.

“Deducting my favorite thing in a person. But yea it’s like this universal sign that automatically connects with certain people that are related to people from my past. ‘M not sure how it happened but it just did. It’s like a warning in a way. Like ‘stay away from the relatives’ kind of thing.” Louis laughs.

He uses some of what Louis has told him at work and especially when it comes to Pomple and how soon they can start building living units there. Him, Niall, Zayn, and Liam have all been promoted up to Class-OY which is really high just because of all the great hard work they’ve put into the project.

Louis still uses the TARDIS just like he said he would. He goes to who knows where but he promises Harry that they’re safe and he’s always back by dinner time usually baring gifts. Harry has so many gemstones from so many planets he doesn’t know what to do with them.

Harry’s made it a rule that he has to tell him before he leaves each and every time. Louis agrees totally understands why. He takes them with him sometimes to various different places too so he’s not alone. It’s something he can’t stop doing because it’s all he’s known for so so long. Harry doesn’t really mind.  

When him and Harry have been together for a month he takes him to this wonderful planet that’s so beautiful Harry can’t even describe it in words. He takes Niall to this really good restaurant that he found centuries ago and Niall comes back with the most euphoric look on his face. Liam and Zayn end up going to a lot of historical things because Zayn has this intense passion for learning and experiencing new things (even if he wasn’t half-Dolo he would most likely be the same).

They end up joining the whole Solar System pet thing by getting a white Asian Semi-Longhair and naming her [Hubble](http://media.tumblr.com/b72c5c5d9657cf40d881cb34b023e4c9/tumblr_inline_mryb0lDfpT1qz4rgp.jpg) after the telescope. Niall argues that even though Hubble is still up in space that it’s not very ‘solar systemy’ so they end up getting a Russian Blue and naming her [Pluto](http://media.tumblr.com/93d923bafd22bf21c132ea3eb32c4aa1/tumblr_inline_mryb0xbH7O1qz4rgp.png).

If you asked Harry everything is pretty fucking great and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

+

One night before Harry falls asleep he asks Louis what his favorite thing about being _the Doctor_ is.

Louis’ caught off guard by the question and is silent for a few minutes before he answers, turning to Harry with his head rested up on his hand so he’s hovering above Harry.

“There’s a lot I have to say it’s very hard to chose but if I had to pick one I would have to say asking someone to come with me. It just gives me this thrill that courses through me ya know? Like I can take someone out of their normal desk-job life and show them the whole of time and space.”

Harry just nods not having anything to say on the matter he was just really curious. Louis pecks him on the lips and cuddles him.

“Night, love you.” He whispers.

“Love you too.” Harry whispers back.

(He sees the stars above him but he doesn’t make a wish because he has everything he could ever want right here cuddles next to him.)

+

The minute Harry wakes up the next morning and he notices that Louis isn’t at his side he starts to panic just like he did on the morning he left. He bolts up ignoring the fact he’s only in his boxers (because really Louis wouldn’t care anyways) and runs towards the garage pushing the door open so hard he nearly busts his face.

When he looks up and finds the garage empty, no TARDIS in sight his heart starts to drop into his stomach and ache, his lip starts to wobble because, no Louis can’t do this to him again; they were doing so well with working over everything and him telling Harry stories from his past.

They have _cats_ together for God’s sake.

He starts to walk out of the garage but then there’s that noise that he’s come to love so much, echoing against the concrete so he turns around to find the stupid blue police box shimmering back into place and Louis opening the doors with a stupid grin on his face.

“Don’t. Do that to me again.” Harry says.

“Do what?” Louis says innocently, devilish smirk pulling on all his features.

“Leave without telling me.” Harry says.

“Yea but I came back. I’ve seem to have forgot something.” He raises his right hand up curling his fingers under his chin and tapping his cheek,” Now what could I have left.”

Harry’s heart starts to float back up and tuck back into its spot, beating so loudly and bursting with so much love that he’s sure Louis can hear it from where he’s standing.

He crosses his arms, face blank with emotion,” Not sure? Did you grab your wallet?” Harry plays along.

“Got that.” Louis pouts out his lip like he’s thinking.

Then his face lights up like a newly born star,” Oh I know.” He stops, opens both of the doors all the way.

“Harry, would you like to come with me?” He starts and he already knows the answers going to be yes but Harry’s knows that Louis gets a thrill from asking people to come with him, that he’s missed it over the past couple hundred years so he lets him continue even though his answer is on the tip of his tongue.

“We could go anywhere in space or in time.” He tries smirk turning into this genuine smile that makes his eyes crinkle at the side and twinkle with stardust. His smile is so big that Harry can see the sharp points of his canine teeth and how much it must be hurting his cheeks.

“I’d love to.” Harry says and then Louis’ stepping back and Harry’s running into the TARDIS the doors closing with a thud behind him.

As they start to shimmer away Louis holds in a laugh,” Uhh Harry you don’t have any pants on.”

They’re laughs mingle with the sound of the universe as they shimmer away to travel the stars and Harry’s one wish that’s he’s wished for since he was a little kid comes true with the added bonus of a Time Lord.

**-end-**

**Author's Note:**

> thank you again for reading!  
> comments and kudos are always appreciated .x


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